Forgiveness
by Kaytori
Summary: A tour bus disappears in an isolated part of England's country side where many people have vanished before. Balthazar goes to investigate, and since Dave is on summer break he gets to come along. Oh joy. Rated 'T' for torture!
1. Chapter 1

**Forgiveness**

**Summary: A tour bus disappears in an isolated part of England's country side where many people have vanished before. Balthazar goes to investigate, and since Dave is on summer break he gets to come along. Oh joy. **

**Disclaimer: All Publicly Recognizable Characters, Settings, Ideas, etc. are the Property of Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions. The Original Characters and Plot are the Property of the Author. The Author is in no way Associated with the Owners, Creators, or Producers of Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions. No Copyright Infringement is intended.**

**Chapter I**

Dave rummaged through his master's music collection while he waited for the old man to pay for the gas. He had to admit, investigating a string of disappearances in northern England wasn't something he really wanted to do with his very short summer break. He only had eleven days before summer school started he had been hoping to spend it with Becky. But Balthazar had pulled the 'There could be innocent people in danger' card. However Balthazar had relented enough to give Dave a one day break while he made travel arrangements, and had even given Dave money to take Becky out to a nice restaurant. And the apprentice was enjoying the fresh air. The only time he used to leave New York was to see his father in Washington. He looked up at the sound of the door opening. "Balthazar, we really have to update your cassette collection."

"Why?"

"Well, first of all, they're _cassettes_. Second of all, is there anything here newer than the 1980s? And since when are you a David Bowie fan?" asked Dave noting there were three of the singer's cassettes.

"Dave, you forget the golden rule: he who owns the car picks the music, while he who rides shotgun shuts his pie-hole," said the master sorcerer as he climbed in. He shot his apprentice a glance, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"Just saying, MP3s are a lot more convenient."

"Shuts his pie-hole… and buckles up. These back roads can get pretty bumpy."

Dave shrugged and did as ordered. "Guess I should be grateful you don't still use vinyl records."

"Can't fit a player into the dashboard."

Dave rolled his eyes.

The ride was painful as the road was winding and full of pot holes. The apprentice had tried to do some studying from the text books he had brought along, but it hadn't ended well.

"How you holding up, Dave?"

"Great."

"Sure?" Balthazar practically laughed. "You're looking a little green." Dave turned from the window to his master.

"Must you be so cheerful?"

"Come on Dave, you're out of the city, getting some nice clean air. Think of it as a vacation."

Dave looked at the back seat where the camping gear was stored.

"You'll have fun, Dave."

"Yeah, 'cause bug bites, no toilet, and mysterious disappearances are just so much fun."

"There's something off about it, Dave. Too many people at once. A tour bus? And not one person finds their way to civilization? It's been two weeks, and it's not the first time."

"I know, I know. Hikers and campers tend to disappear around there, so of course. We 'have' to go camping."

"Glad you agree," said Balthazar dryly. Several minutes passed before the master sorcerer turned back to his apprentice. "You see anyone behind us?"

Dave looked behind them, then to the fields on the sides of the road. "Nope, no one around for miles."

"Good." Balthazar opened the window and the ring on his finger began to glow. He reached out the window and placed his hand on the roof, and the car began to morph. Dave shifted as his seat began to alter. Within moments, the Phantom '32 was a red pickup truck, and the gear was outside in the back.

"Couldn't have turned the thing into something more comfortable?" whined Dave.

"We want to remain inconspicuous."

"Inconspicuous to who? There's no one around!"

"That could change, and it's whom not who. Calm down, we're just about a half hour away."

"Right, then we park the car and walk for miles with ten pounds of gear on our back. Good times. I still don't see why I couldn't just use the satchel you gave me?" asked Dave referring to the bag Balthazar had given him that opened to a small pocket dimension.

"Because campers have camping gear, Dave. Remember the whole 'not drawing attention to ourselves' plan?"

Dave sighed and sank further into the now very uncomfortable seat. He knew it was useless to point out the fact that there was no one around.

oo0oo

The walking wasn't that bad. Dave had to admit the fresh air was nice, even purifying. Balthazar had told him an anecdote from his travels in an attempt to cheer the younger man up. Dave had unfortunately tried to press his luck and asked what life had been like for the sorcerer when Balthazar had been Dave's age.

Balthazar's smile had faded and the next couple of hours had passed in silence.

"Umm, Balthazar?"

"Yes, Dave?"

"Sorry—about... whatever it is I said."

Balthazar stopped in his tracks and turned to his apprentice. "It's nothing. Just, back then, Horvath was my best friend, and… it's nothing." He turned back to the path they had been walking. "Just another hour to the camp site."

Dave frowned. He hadn't realized it was difficult for Balthazar to remember the times Horvath had been his friend, but he should have. The betrayal must have cut deep.

True to the master sorcerer's prediction, it took about an hour to reach the camp site, and yet another one to set up camp. Dave wasn't very good with tent poles.

"There's no wood around," he said, sitting down on a small tarp Balthazar had packed to deal with the wet ground.

"Wouldn't do any good, it would all be wet. You want a campfire?"

"Aren't campfires an important part of camping?"

"Yes, they are." Balthazar reached into his bag and pulled out a jar filled with a green powder. He took out a handful and placed it on the ground a few feet away. He waved his hand and the powder burst into flame.

"Should last a couple of hours. We can always add more powder."

Dave held out his hand. The fire felt warm and had a greenish tinge to it. "So green fire is low profile?"

"I can put it out."

"No, no need... I don't suppose…"

Balthazar reached into his sack and brought out marshmallows, some graham crackers, a couple of Hershey bars, and two metallic retractable pointers, the kind used by teachers to point things out on a board—well, used by teachers who didn't like laser pointers. They had padding on the handle so the heat from the fire wouldn't transfer. The master sorcerer handed one to Dave, then the bag of marshmallows after taking a couple for himself.

"Have you ever had smores before," said Balthazar, spearing his marshmallows and holding them out before the fire.

"Once," said Dave, still getting over his shock that Balthazar had brought ingredients for smores the master sorcerer was looking rather pleased with himself. "The school set up this camping trip, but… Mom, she was back from the hospital, and I… I wanted to spend time with her. She felt bad about me missing the trip, so we used the stove to cook the marshmallows and camped out in the kitchen. It was cramped, but… it was fun."

Balthazar nodded his understanding. Dave's mom had died of cancer about five years ago. Dave didn't often speak of his family, but the master sorcerer had met Dave's father during Christmas. Daniel Stutler had learned about his son's involvement in sorcery. They had had a fight and hadn't spoken since.

"How much chocolate did you bring?" asked Dave.

"Enough for six smores each, figured we'd have a couple a night. Got plenty of marshmallows, though."

"Good. Thanks, Balthazar."

"No problem." Despite having spent a good hour setting up the tents, the two men decided to sleep outside on the tarps Balthazar had packed. It was a clear night, and if that changed they could always move.

Dave woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs. Briefly, he wondered how Balthazar had managed to pack eggs, then realized—sorcerer.

"Morning, Dave."

"Morning, Balthazar," replied Dave, sitting up.

"Pack up our stuff while I finish up breakfast."

"Sure thing, boss."

"Master."

"I'm not calling you that, way too many negative connotations in this era."

Balthazar rolled his eyes but let the matter drop. Dave had a point, and so long as the apprentice addressed the master sorcerer with respect, he wasn't going to push it.

oo0oo

"I hate rain," announced Dave with a slight whine. The clear sky had gone a few minutes after the pair had finished up breakfast. The rain had just been a drizzle at first, but now it was a downpour and had been for the last three hours. Suffice it to say, Dave wasn't enjoying today's hike.

"It's just water, Dave. You're a sorcerer, not a witch. You're not going to melt. Are you cold?" asked Balthazar, the last few words tinged with concern. The last thing he needed was a sneezing apprentice.

"No, I'm fine." Balthazar had taught Dave a spell to keep his body temperature up in inclement weather a few days before the trip. So although he was wet, he wasn't cold and wet.

Honestly, Dave wasn't that bothered by it. He had a jacket made out of dragon hide. It was waterproof and warm, but it didn't prevent water from running down his neck. The problem was just that Balthazar was silent, and the constant quiet was unnerving. Dave became so wrapped up in his own thoughts about his master that he didn't realize the man had stopped in his tracks and bumped into him.

"This way," ordered Balthazar stepping off the path and into the adjacent field.

"Why?" asked Dave following.

"I can sense magic in this direction, powerful magic."

"How far off?"

"Hard to tell."

The two walked for another two hours, and still saw nothing but lush green fields.

"Dave."

"Yeah?"

"We're here."

"Here? Here where?" Asked Dave twisted his head and torso around to see. "Balthazar, there's nothing, and no one around for miles." He continued with a wave at the empty fields.

Balthazar smiled. "I really have to teach you to sense magic. Later, though. Right now, we have to walk through."

Dave looked around and still saw nothing but empty field. "Walk through what?"

"…" Balthazar grimaced as if he really didn't want to say it. "Through the invisibility shield."

Dave shook his head, "Can our lives get more like a comic book?" he groaned

"We should be okay, so long as we avoid wearing tights." Balthazar reached out and the air in front of him shimmered. "This is one-way. Once we're in, we'll have trouble getting out."

Dave shrugged. "We've come this far. I mean, those tour bus people could still be alive, and need help."

Balthazar smiled at his apprentice and slid his backpack over his shoulder and started rummaging through it.

"What are you doing?"

"This shield may interfere with cell phones. I'm calling Veronica to let her know we may be out of reach for a few days."

After a few moments more of searching, he got out his phone and called home.

The conversation was short and consisted of Balthazar asking how his pregnant wife was doing, telling her what they had found, what they were planning on doing and that he loved her.

Dave tried not to eavesdrop. And pulled out his own phone.

"Dave?" asked Becky from the otherside of the line.

"Yeah it's me, look Balthazar and I found something somekind of force field once we go in I may not be able to contact you for a few days. But I'll call you as soon as I can."

"Okay, what kind of force field? How big is it?"

"Big, it's invisible."

"An invisible force field?" echoed Becky, Dave could hear the slight smile in her voice. Of course her boyfriend dealt with invisible force fields. He dealt with giant flying steal eagles.

"Yes. We think the missing people might be on the otherside. I'll tell you all about it when I get back. I have to go."

"Okay be careful Dave."

"I'm always careful."

Becky snorted. "Right see you soon."

"Ready?" asked Balthazar as the younger man flip his cellphone closed.

Dave nodded and turned to the sheild.

"Here we go," said Balthazar swinging his pack over his shoulder, he stepped forward and disappeared. Dave shrugged, closed his eyes and followed.

Dave opened his eyes after the tingly feeling he got from traveling through the shield and looked around. He was still in the country, but there were houses. The nearest one was a few feet away on the right, and there was another one several meters away on the left and across the street. The buildings looked old-fashioned but new, like for a movie set.

"Medieval architecture," said Balthazar, "I hated that era."

"Well, this can't mean much. I mean, a lot of houses in England date back to that era, and the basic architecture is still used to build houses."

"Town houses, yeah, but these…" he gestured to the two adjacent buildings, "are huts for peasants. Very few of those survived, at least in northern England, and they don't make them anymore. Usually," he added giving the nearest building a pat.

Both master and apprentice jumped at a sudden sound, which turned out to be a broom that had been leaning against the corner of the house falling. A young girl about six years old was standing where the broom had been. Dave frowned at her clothing. She was wearing a green kirtle, a long tunic that reached her ankles, common in medieval times. She looked nervous, then seemed to gather her courage and glared.

"I don't know you," she announced, as if that was a very bad thing. Dave frowned at her accent, it was English but there was something else he couldn't quite place.

"We just arrived," said Balthazar calmly. "Do you know where we are?"

"Aldercy, it's a collection of villages. You're in Upper Aldercy-well just outside it." She pointed to the left, off into the distance. Balthazar and Dave couldn't see exactly what she was pointing at because the house blocked the view. They stepped forward to get a better look. There was a castle out in the distance.

"Whoa, that's a castle."

Balthazar rolled his eyes. "That's an excellent observation, Dave. I would have missed that."

"But it's a real medieval castle, with a drawbridge."

"And… a satellite dish."

"Come again?" asked Dave, turning his head to see his Master holding a pair of binoculars.

"Satellite dish, on one of the towers. Two, actually."

Dave looked back at the castle. It rested on… well it wasn't a hill, too big, but it wasn't a mountain either. It was as if a large piece of the land had suddenly decided to rear up and try to get a better view.

"Probably used magic for the landscaping," said Balthazar. "Here, have a look." He handed Dave the binoculars.

It looked just like a castle from fairy tale books-turrets and towers made from stone, carved and built into the piece of raised earth.

"So what's the deal?" asked Dave. "I mean, it looks like a medieval town." He gestured to the girl's kirtle then realized something. "Umm, what's your name?"

"My mom says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers, except to tell them they should hide and try to figure out a way out of the gates, before you get caught. And if I tell them to book it, I really shouldn't tell them my name cause then I'll be punished for it."

"Punished by who?" asked Balthazar, getting down on one knee so he was eye-level with the girl.

"Sorcerers," whispered the girl. "The Orrick family."

"Then why tell us?" asked Dave.

"Cause it's the right thing to do," she told them, as if rehearsing a line. "That's what Mommy says."

Balthazar smiled, "Your mommy is a good person. Thanks for the warning, but you see, we're looking for some people who would have come here a little while ago, about forty people on a tour bus. You know what a tour bus is?"

"Yeah, you're talking about the group of people that came in that big metal monster," she told them, holding out her arms to emphasize the size of the bus.

"Yes, we are. Do you know where we can find them?"

The girl frowned. "I know where some of them are, in the field working with my daddy. Some work in the castle, some were moved to other villages. Alyne killed a bunch when they fought."

Both Balthazar and Dave stiffened at the girl's words and shared a glance. "Who's Alyne?" asked Balthazar.

"Head of the Orrick family. They rule all of Aldercy."

"Why did they take the people on the bus?" asked Dave.

"Cause they found Aldercy. Aldercy is a secret. The only ones allowed to leave are members of the Orrick family."

"Isabel!" called a voice from the house. Dave was surprised by the Brooklyn accent. A tall brunette stepped out the door of the house on the right. "Isabel! Where are you?" She turned to her left and saw the group surprised flicked across her face before her eyes narrowed at the group and she pointed at the door. "All of you inside, now," she ordered firmly.

Balthazar and Dave looked at each other for a moment then darted into the house with Isabel and her mother.

The hut was fairly large. The two back corners were sectioned off. Dave assumed they were bedrooms. A table was just to the left and the left corner walls were lined with cupboards and shelves. To the right were more shelves, this time with books. In the center there were chairs, a rug, couch and against the wall a fire place. On the opposite wall next to the fire place was a weaving loom. All in all it looked rather cozy.

"How did you two find this place?" asked the woman. "Never mind," she added shaking her head and holding up her arms. "Just go to the castle, stay hidden. On the other side of the castle is a gate. You can leave through that."

"Why don't you?" asked Balthazar.

She pointed to her neck, where a metal collar with engravings rested. "Because it wouldn't do any good." Balthazar turned to Isabel, who held out her wrist, where a small metal bracelet with the same engravings rested.

Balthazar's shoulders sagged slightly and he let out a breath as if he were trying to calm his nerves. "That's a Hungarian binding spell," said Balthazar in response to Dave's questioning look. He noticed mother and child tense. "I haven't seen one in a long time."

"Wait," said Dave. "Long time, long time? Or long, long time, long time? Cause with you, it's hard to tell."

"I haven't seen one of these in seven hundred and…" he closed his eyes. "Twenty-seven years."

Both Isabel and her mother stepped back at the mention of Balthazar's age. "You're a sorcerer," breathed the mother.

"We're Merlinians," assured Dave, "we won't hurt you."

"What's a 'Merlinian'?" asked mother and daughter in unison.

"You guys know about sorcerers but not about Merlinians?" asked the apprentice.

"I'm guessing it has something to do with Merlin," said the mother dryly.

"Yeah, basically we're good guys," said Dave "We use our powers to fight evil sorcerers and magical monsters."

The mother raised her eyebrow and looked Dave over as if deciding whether he was a threat. Balthazar figured it was time for introductions.

"I'm sorry, we've been remiss. I'm Balthazar Blake, master sorcerer of the seven hundred and seventy-seventh degree, and this is my apprentice, Dave Stutler."

"Oh right, Maggie Tyler. You've met my daughter, Isabel. So what? You folks here to save us?"

"Well, yeah," assured Dave.

"Oh, this should be good," said Maggie, grabbing a chair near the table and sitting down.

"What's going on here?" asked Balthazar, resting his hand on the table and leaning on it, getting a better look at Maggie.

"No idea, honestly. I came here with my dad and mum when I was a kid," her face fell and she gazed off into space as memories came back to her. "It was supposed to be a holidy... This Aldercy place was set up hundreds of years ago. Don't know how, or why, but it's ruled by a family of sorcerers, the Orricks. At age eight they begin their magic training, if they have magic. If they don't, the child is made a servant, sent to one of the other villages of Aldercy and given to the care of another family. If a sorcerer is born to another family, that child is taken and raised as an Orrick. At age sixteen, they are sent away, to the outside world, no provisions, no money. They have to make it on their own. They stay away for ten years. If, and when they return, they can challenge the current head for leadership of the house in a series of tests. Otherwise they're welcomed back and given a home."

"And you? The tour bus people?" asked Dave.

"Anyone who finds this place can't leave, anyone without magic is… like me and Isabel."

"Slaves?" asked Dave.

"Serfs," said Maggie and Balthazar in unison.

Dave raised his eyebrows and hands with a shrug.

"It's a condition of bondage, or modified slavery, Dave," said Balthazar. "The serfs work the land, in return for protection, and the right to work the land. It's not just field work, it's carpentry, forestry, mining, transportation, making cloth." He gestured to the loom. "Whatever needs to be done. Serfs are tied to the owners of the land."

"Well, that sucks."

"So does having your child taken," said Maggie softly.

Balthazar and Dave both gave Maggie their undivided attention.

Maggie stared at the table before her. "Isabel's older brother. They took him."

"When did they take him?" asked Balthazar.

"Five years ago. Village children are tested when they turn five. But I doubt he even remembers me." She looked at Isabel. "He and Izzy were really close. We were always making him watch her, he took it seriously... "

"What's your son's name?" asked Balthazar.

"I called him Hudson, after the Hudson river back home." She sighed and looked down at the table remberinr her child.

"Umm, why are the kids tested when they're five?" asked Dave. "I mean, wouldn't it be easier to raise them if they didn't remember their family?"

"Children younger than five wouldn't show any power, Dave," said Balthazar his eyes never leaving Maggie. "You can only test a child so young. They don't have a choice. What can you tell us about the Orricks?"

Maggie looked up at her guest "The head of the family is Alyne. She came back about three years ago, challenged the then head, won. She's been running the place ever since. I don't know much about her time away, just that she went into the foster care system for a couple of years, then Stanford, came back here with a master's in chemistry and biology. She's… really smart, driven, and sadistic. Anyone who doesn't fall in line suffers."

"We heard she killed a few people from the bus," said Dave.

"Tortured a couple of them in the public square, in the town just outside the castle."

The apprentice turned to his master. "So what's our first move?" he asked wanting to change the topic to something that didn't involve torture. "I mean, we're outnumbered."

"First thing is first. Maggie, how much trouble are you going to be in if they find out you've helped us?"

"Tortured to death, publicly, with my family watching. Isabel should be okay, being six." She informed them flatly, long used to the harshness of her prision. She glanced down at her daughter who was holding her hand and gave the child a reasurring squeeze.

"Uh huh, well that's our first concern. Okay, what's supposed to happen when you find someone who's wandered into town on their own?"

"I'm supposed to report them."

"I want you to take Isabel and report us. We'll be gone by the time you get back."

"Should I tell them about you being sorcerers" asked Maggie rising from her seat. The movement was quick as if she wanted to leave. Dave frowned. She had been avoffiding eye contact since she learned they were sorcerers. He supposed he shouldn't blame her. She obviously had bad experiences with them.

"No, just tell them a couple of campers came by, an uncle and nephew. You told them about this place, said you were going to get your husband to help us escape, but you were really going to report us. When they come here and see we're gone, they'll just figure we have trust issues. They'll start a man hunt, which will be inconvenient, but it's better then risking your safety."

"Do you know a place where we can lay low?" asked Dave.

"There's an abandoned flour mill, but it's about a mile away, and they're sure to check abandoned buildings. The woods, maybe? My husband's clothing is in a box under the bed. Blending in might be the best idea. They'll be too big for you, Dave, but they should fit Balthazar fine. Once you're out of the house, turn right. It'll take you about a half hour to reach the woods."

"Thank you. One more thing-say I gave my name as Brian, and no last names."

Dave shot his master a look, and even Maggie was confused.

"I've been around for over a thousand years. I've never met another Balthazar, much less a Balthazar Blake. They may have heard of me. And who knows how far word's spread about Morgana's defeat. Fortunately, Dave's a common name."

Maggie nodded and turned to her daughter. "Come along, Isabel. We have to go tell the soldiers about Brian and Dave."

"Okay," said Isabel, nodding. Maggie stood and grabbed her daughter's hand before walking out the door.

"Come on Dave, let's grab some clothes," said Balthazar walking towards the bedrooms.

"Can't we just transform our clothes?"

"If we leave here without taking any clothing and the soldiers notice, they'll wonder why they're having so much trouble finding us. Same reason we have to leave most of our gear behind. We'll have to cast a light illusion like what I did in China Town for our jackets. Dragonhide is resistant to magic," Balthazar added before ducking into the room on the right.

Dave looked at the sleeve of his coat, wondering what kind of illusion to cast. It would have to be another jacket or maybe a shirt, something that would overlap the entire thing. Otherwise, he'd have to waste magical energy rendering a part of his jacket invisible. He decided to button the thing up and make it look like coarse-looking green shirt and brown jerkin.

"Do we have to leave our tents behind?" asked Dave from the doorway.

"Yes," answered Balthazar, tossing Dave a pair of pants. "The boots I got us for the trip should be okay, won't make us stand out too much, so long as no one looks too closely. Shrink the clothes so they fit you," ordered Balthazar as Dave stepped into Isabel's room for a quick change.

Dave stepped out of the young girl's room to see Balthazar had made his own dragonhide coat look like a large wool cloak and tunic, having cast an illusion of two pieces of clothing to make sure the entire coat was overlapped. He was rummaging through their packs, placing a few of the contents into a leather satchel. He looked up at the sound of Dave's tread. "What should I do with my clothes?" asked the apprentice.

"Leave them and hurry up."

Dave put his clothes on one of the chairs near the fireplace.

"Let's go, Dave," ordered Balthazar, grabbing his cloak off the chair as he swept by his apprentice and out the door.

The walk through the village was uneventful. Balthazar had to reprimand the apprentice a couple of times not to look around as if the environment was new to him. There weren't a lot of people around, but Balthazar seemed paranoid about looking like the pair of them belonged. Dave wondered about it, and decided to ask later. The huts all looked alike. Balthazar seemed to relax slightly as he stepped into the shelter of the trees of the wood.

"Bal—"

"Brian."

"Okay, Brian, how far into the woods do you want to go? I mean the further we go the farther away we are from the people we're trying to help."

"We'll walk for a couple of hours. Rest, eat, then double back. Normally in a place like this everyone knows each other, but with the arrival of the bus there's a few new faces, so hopefully we'll be okay."

"Hopefully?"

"Very few things in life are certain, Dave. We'll head to the castle, try and blend in there, gather info. We need to know how many members the Orrick family has, how many villages there are, where they are, and how they've managed to keep this a secret. Invisibility shield or no, someone should have noticed this place."

"Bal— Brian. How are we going to double back if they're looking for us?"

"Well if they're wearing uniforms, same way we got past those cops in China Town. This time, let me do the talking."

"And if they're not?"

"Luck, invisibility spell, old fashioned sneakiness."

"Well, I'm doomed."

"You'll be fine," assured the master sorcerer with a slight smile.

The pair continued to tread through the lush green forest. Balthazar stopped every once in a while to pick mushrooms he said were edible. After they had been walking two hours, Balthazar told Dave he could rest. He gathered up the mushrooms they had picked and speared them with several sticks he found lying around. Using his magic, he roasted them over his palm where a fire ball crackled.

"Here," he said, holding out a stick of mushrooms.

"Thanks," muttered Dave absently.

"Eat quickly, we need to start backtracking."

"If you say so."

"What's wrong?"

Dave was about to say 'nothing,' then he remembered-terrible liar.

"Stealth isn't my strong suit."

"I won't let anything happen to you, Dave."

Dave smiled. He didn't want to tell Balthazar that that was the problem. The apprentice was afraid that his master would be hurt protecting him. He chose not to voice his thoughts, knowing Balthazar would shrug off the danger. Dave would just have to step up.

**Okay here's the deal normally my stories are all done and betaed by the time I post but that's not the case here. Which means no regular updates on this one. Why? Because chap twelve is 1/3 done and has been that way for several months. This fic is going to finish but I really do need a push with this thing. IE reviews. I spend hours on my fic brainstorming writing I have it betaed and revised three times before I post. Why? because I take this seriously and give you nothing but my best. Getting reviews and opinions really help me if you're writers you understand. So please leave a donation.**

**Another reason I'm posting this now is because the fic that takes place after is done though betaed only once and I want to be able to post that.**

**But seriously reviews help.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Forgiveness**

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><p><strong>Summary: A tour bus disappears in an isolated part of England's countryside where many people have vanished before. Balthazar goes to investigate, and since Dave is on summer break, he gets to come along. Oh, joy.<strong>

**Disclaimer: All Publicly Recognizable Characters, Settings, Ideas, etc. are the Property of Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions. The Original Characters and Plot are the Property of the Author. The Author is in no way Associated with the Owners, Creators, or Producers of Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions. No Copyright Infringement is intended.**

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><p><strong>Chapter II<strong>

The two ate quickly and then started making their way back. They had only been walking about ten minutes when Balthazar held up his hand and disappeared. Dave cast his own invisibility spell. Both stood as still as possible. If these guys had a decent set of ears, invisibility would only do them so much good.

There was a woman up ahead with long black hair and a serious expression. She held her hands in front of her, palms facing out, slowly moving them out to her side then back in front.

"Anything, captain?" asked a man wearing a dark blue tunic with an insignia of a bird carrying some kind of flower in it's talons. Dave could make out the glimmer of chain mail beneath the layer of cloth.

"Nothing. Well, nothing human." She made a circular motion with her hands and ice began to form on her fingers. Suddenly, she thrust out her hand and the shards of ice flew through the air. Dave could hear them pierce flesh.

"I did, however, detect a rabbit. It'll make a good meal. Pick it up for me, will you?" She asked pleasantly as she continued walking.

Dave stood perfectly still. He knew from his practice with elemental magic that it was possible to read air, detect disturbances in it in order to asses one's environment. It wasn't something he was any good at, but he could at least recognize when someone was using the technique.

As a result, Dave and Balthazar continued to remain still for another ten minutes. Finally, Balthazar made himself visible before turning to Dave and nodding.

"We should be safe, they've moved on."

Dave nodded his understanding and the pair continued forward.

"Think that's all the people out looking for us?"

"Maybe. There's only one exit, so it's not like they have to worry about us escaping. They can take their time tracking us down."

The two continued their journey, eventually making it back to the edge of the woods where they decided to rest and wait until nightfall. A couple hours later, they saw the guards they had come across earlier led again by the dark-haired woman. The group seemed to be heading back to the castle. The woman was talking to two other men who followed along right beside her. Dave strained his ears but couldn't make out what was being said.

It wasn't for another hour that Balthazar decided it was dark enough for them to continue on to the castle. The town itself was surrounded by a thirteen-foot wall, which Dave and Balthazar walked through without difficulty. Despite the darkness, it was still fairly early in the evening. A few people were still outside, though not many, and there was always the chance someone would look out a window, so Dave and Balthazar tried their best to remain unseen by avoiding the main road and sticking to back alleys and ducking behind whatever they could find for cover.

As they got closer to the castle, the buildings turned from huts to town houses. Eventually, the pair made it to the castle and decided to rest, hiding in the reeds that lined the edge of the moat.

"So, what's the plan?" asked Dave.

"Freeze the water, walk across, phase through the wall, make yourself invisible."

"You want to rest first?" asked Dave, a bit tired from the use of all the stealth spells they had to cast to get this far.

"Might be a good idea, the reeds will hide us. We'll wait till everyone is asleep. It's almost midnight, we'll go in at two. That will give us two hours to look around. Then we'll make our way over to that abandoned mill. Get some sleep, plan our next move."

"So we just sit here for the next few hours? Also, how do you know what time it is? You don't have a watch."

"I spent centuries without one. I learned to tell time without a watch long ago, Dave," replied Balthazar, leaning back on the soft ground, his hands intertwined behind his head. "I'm going to sleep, and you're going practice your elemental magic. Try sensing your environment with the air."

Dave sighed. Sensing one's environment with air wasn't draining, it was just difficult. He held out his hands, palms out, while his master took a nap. Dave took out his cell phone noting that there were no bars and also that Balthazar was right, it was five past twelve.

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Two hours later master and apprentice walked the halls of castle in a attempt to find the libaryDave let out a yawn-well, half a yawn. He managed to choke back the second half of it upon Balthazar's withering glare. The man could curdle milk with that look. The master sorcerer was disguised as a guard, having cast an illusion and Dave… well, Dave was disguised as a page boy.

"_Balthazar, page boys wear tights," said Dave, remembering the one they had spotted walking into the castle across the drawbridge when the master and apprentice had first arrived._

"_You don't look like a guard, Dave. All the ones we've seen so far are a lot bigger then you. Except for the women."_

"_But **tights**,' whined Dave. _

"_Just be grateful you aren't wearing underwear outside your tights." _

_Dave shot him a far less effective glare than his own. "You're just so helpful."_

_Balthazar merely smiled back, clearly enjoying the moment. "You're the one who compared our lives to a comic book. Maybe you'll get lucky and get a ray gun next time." _

"_Ha. Ha."_

"_Look on the bright side, Dave."_

"_There's a bright side?"_

"_Yes, **I** don't have to wear them."_

_Dave shot the man another death glare._

Dave stiffened when he heard footsteps behind him. Before he could turn, however, he felt Balthazar's hand on his wrist and was dragged into a room.

The two men stood pressed against the wall as they waited for the footsteps to pass. Once they did, Dave summoned a ball of light.

"Wow, that thing looks like it hasn't been used since World War Two," said Dave, gesturing to an old radio on a shelf to the right.

"Looks like a lot of this stuff hasn't been used recently," replied Balthazar as he walked around the room.

The room's shelves contained old radios, phones, even telegraphs. The tables contained more modern means of communication: a telephone, a satellite phone, a modern radio and they even had a radar set up.

"Guess these guys do like modern technology," noted Dave.

"Well each of them does spend ten years out in the world," said Balthazar. "Guess they save it for themselves."

"You'd think if they had this stuff, they'd use tractors for their fields. Wonder why this room has electricity but none of the other rooms we've been to do."

"Where would they get the power from?" asked Balthazar. "Chances are they have a generator, probably use the river to work a turbine. That would limit the amount of electricity available to them. Likely the reason they don't use tractors. Limited access to gas."

"Makes sense. Want to try calling Veronica?"

Balthazar shook his head. "Can't chance them having a way to check if the phone's been used and who's been called."

Dave nodded his understanding. "Should we head out then?"

Balthazar nodded and the two exited the room. As Dave was closing the door he noticed a plaque on it: "Comm. Room". He wondered if there were other rooms with modern day setups. Maybe their medical facility had a MRI? He doubted the Orricks would deny themselves the best of medical technology.

After another half hour of wandering and looking at doors for a plaque marked 'library', they eventually found it.

"Look for maps," ordered Balthazar. "I'll concentrate on history books."

An hour later, Dave deposited a few more maps on the table and turned to his master who was looking at an old book. "Found anything?" asked the apprentice.

"Yeah, according to these maps you found and this book, Aldercy exists in a pocket dimension."

"Like my bag?"

"This is way more complex, but yes, it's the same general principle. It takes up only one acre of space outside but over a thousand inside. It's powered by the ley lines despite not been directly over them. They use crystals to siphon off the power. That's how they charge the spell and keep this place hidden. I still haven't been able to find anything detailing their hierarchy or their military strength, but we're running out of time. We need to head out to avoid detection. Hopefully they won't miss a few books and maps. Where's the one with the mill?"

"What are ley lines?" asked Dave as he looked for the map in question, finally spotting it and handing it to his teacher.

"You know how our magic travels through certain paths in our body? Ley lines are paths magic travels around the earth." Answered Balthazar as he quickly looked over the map before grabbing and an armful of other maps and books he began stuffing them into Dave's satchel. "We'll hide at the mill for now, try and figure out our next move."

The pair left the library and had been walking for five minutes when they heard footsteps and both cast invisibility spells on themselves as well as a spell to cancel out the sound of their breathing. The pair pressed themselves against the wall as two guards walked by Dave didn't notice any rings and sighed in relief when the guards finally past. A few moments after they turned a corner Balthazar cast off his invisibility and sound spell, Dave did the same.

"That was draining," said Dave.

"Hopefully we won't have to do it again," replied Balthazar.

Due to the lateness of the hour, the pair had no trouble passing undetected through the town. All the same, it took a little over two hours to reach the mill.

Dave made his way to the wall opposite the door before collapsing in a heap. Oddly enough, the floor was fairly comfortable.

Balthazar shook his head and raised his hand, casting a light spell. He knelt on the floor and, using his magic, loosened the floor boards. A quick check revealed a fairly spacious area. He and Dave would be able to crawl under the area to hide if needed, and it would be a good place to store the books and maps they had taken. He turned to his apprentice who was sound asleep. Balthazar smiled and shook his head. He'd let the boy rest. After all, this was supposed to be a vacation. He deposited the books and maps, replaced the floor boards and went outside to set up a few wards.

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"Dave, wake up," hissed a voice next to the youth's ear as a slight pressure was applied to his arm.

"Hmm, what?"

"Someone has set off one of the wards."

Dave sat up and quietly got to his feet. He turned to face Balthazar who had moved beside the door. Dave cast a spell on his shoes to prevent them from making noise and followed suit.

The door swung open and Isabel walked in.

"Hello?" said the little girl turning her head side to side.

Balthazar sighed in relief and knelt down to the girl's eye level. "What are you doing here?"

Isabel jumped in the air and turned to face the two sorcerers "Don't do that!" she exclaimed stomping her foot and placing her hands on her hips. "You scared me!" She continued glaring at them as if they had committed a grievous offence.

"Sorry," said Dave and Balthazar in unison exchanging a glance. The master sorcerer's lips twitched as he tried to suppress a smile.

Her glare softened and she shook her head. "I brought food," she told them, swinging her backpack off her shoulders and opening it to reveal apples, bread and cheese.

"Thank you, Izzy," said Balthazar as he reached in and, grabbing an apple, tossed it to Dave.

"How's your mom?" continued the master sorcerer. "She didn't get in trouble?"

Isabel shook her head. "Nope, the guards believed her. She said she'll come here to bring you more food for dinner. You guys find a way to grind the Orricks into the mud?"

Balthazar smiled. "Not yet, but we'll figure something out. We're going to head into town and try to gather information. Do you want us to take you home first?"

Before Isabel could respond, the door was thrown open and Maggie stepped in. "Isabel Kendra Tyler!" she shouted. "What did I tell you about running ahead?" She exclaimed as she stomped her foot on the floor, her hands on her hips as she glared at her daughter.

Isabel looked at the floor, her shoulders slumped.

"Morning Maggie, thanks for breakfast," greeted Balthazar cheerfully.

Maggie turned to the sorcerer and relaxed. Her daughter was safe, and apparently so were the two sorcerers. "Balthazar, good to see you found this place. Any luck?"

Balthazar nodded. "We snuck into the castle and found the library. We'll go into town, try and figure out how many people are willing to fight if it comes to that, maybe see if there are members of the Orrick family who might be willing to help. Don't suppose you know about any who would?"

Maggie started to shake her head, then stopped. "I don't think there's a head that will help, but maybe a few of those under them."

"Sorry, heads?" asked Dave, raising his right hand briefly.

"There are seven villages that make up Aldercy. Each one has a head. Alyne is in charge of them. I think Alexander – he's the head in Upper Aldercy— Has a reputation of being kind, but that's it."

"Well, it's a start," sighed Balthazar.

"I'll leave you two to eat your breakfast," said Maggie as she reached out for her daughter's hand. "I'm afraid I need to get moving. I've been commissioned to create a tapestry for the castle."

"Oh Maggie, before you go, how well do people around here know each other?" asked Balthazar.

"Pretty well. People will notice strangers, but if you say you and Dave are messengers from East Aldercy, you should be fine. Hopefully." She held out her hand for her daughter. "Come along, Izzy."

After the two women closed the door, Dave turned to his master. "Should we wait till nightfall to go out?"

"There won't be anyone to question," said Balthazar. "We need to gather information before we can do anything. And we'll have an easier time blending into a crowd."

Dave sighed and grabbed his jacket, quickly casting an illusion to make it look like a jerkin once more.

The two walked towards the town, Dave barely suppressing a yawn-well, several. He was pretty tired. He frowned at the crowd gathered around the gates of the town.

"What's going on?" asked the apprentice

"Check point," said Balthazar wearily. "They're looking for us, think we'll be heading into town."

"They're right. What do we do?"

"Wait in line. It's fairly long, good chance to talk to the locals. We'll leave before we get too close." The pair reached the line and the master sorcerer turned to one of the waiting men.

"Any idea what's going on?"

The man looked at Balthazar, blinking stupidly, then he frowned. "I hear there's some newcomers that they're looking for." He looked Balthazar up and down. "Haven't seen you before," the man continued mildly.

"I was on the tour bus." The man offered a confused expression, and the master sorcerer elaborated, "The big metal machine that came a couple weeks ago. My nephew and I work as messengers now, just arrived from East Aldercy."

The man nodded. "Name's Steven," continued Balthazar. "My nephew's name is Alex." Balthazar was unsure of whether or not the names Brian and Dave were known to the locals. He thought it best not to take the chance. Dave sighed at having to remember yet another alias for his master.

Within half an hour, Balthazar and Dave knew plenty about the man. His name was Malcolm, he worked the fields, had a wife and three kids and spent every spare moment he could at the local tavern. Balthazar made a mental note to check out the place.

In between bits of Malcolm's personal life were bits about local politics. Balthazar asked questions without seeming too interested and had soon learned that while Alyne was a ruthless sadistic tyrant, it was her second-in-command he had to worry about. Megan was a fierce warrior and Captain of the guard. Alyne was a threat only if you fell into her power. Megan was usually the one who put you there.

"That's her there," said Malcolm suddenly pointing at the woman who had been leading the search party the day before. She was walking just outside the line, glancing at people as she went.

Balthazar frowned. They were about halfway to the gates. So long as he and Dave didn't draw attention to themselves, Megan shouldn't give them a second glance. He moved in front of Dave, blocking the younger man from the captain and stared straight ahead. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding when she just glanced at him before moving on.

Malcolm had fallen silent. The captain made him nervous. After ten minutes of quiet passed, Balthazar decided it was time to leave. They made it ten feet before a voice called out. "Impatient, are we?"

The master sorcerer turned As the captain of the guard approached everyone clear a path not wanting to get in the way. Malcolm looked nervously from side to side deciding if he wanted to risk drawing the captain's attention by running.

"Yes," replied Balthazar calmly. "I have a lot to do. My business in town can wait until you've caught the ones you're looking for."

Megan crossed her arms and stared coolly at the master sorcerer. "You waited some forty minutes."

Balthazar frowned. She had kept track?

"You only had another twenty or so to go. Why leave?"

"I decided there were better ways to spend my time."

She raised an eyebrow. "And how do you spend your time?"

"In the field."

"Both of you?" she asked, looking at Dave's hands.

Balthazar grabbed Dave's wrist and bolted.

Dave chanced a glance back as he and Balthazar ran towards the forest they were only been followed by two guards, apparently Megan didn't consider them worthy of her time. The pair had just reached the tree line when one of the men chasing them grabbed his jacket/jerkin, yanking the apprentice back and causing him to fall.

Balthazar turned and launched a plasma bolt into his enemy's chest and the man fell. The master turned and left-hook the other man in the jaw, and the guard hit the ground with a thud.

Dave got to his feet after Balthazar's bolt took his attacker down. No sooner was he standing however than something hit him from behind and sent him spiralling back down to the ground. Remembering his training, he turned his fall into a roll and quickly got back up to see Megan fighting Balthazar hand to hand.

The master sorcerer caught her ankle when she launched her leg to deliver a kick to the face. She used her free leg to jump and, tucking in her arms, rolled in mid air, freeing her trapped limb. She landed and uncoiled a strange-looking metal whip made out of pieces of interlocking metal. A blue light flickered within the pieces and she raised her arm to strike Balthazar. The ancient sorcerer sidestepped the attack, but the tree behind him was not so fortunate.

Dave gaped when the whip went through the tree, cleaving the oak in half.

"Dave!" shouted Balthazar. Dave turned from the tree to see the bluish silver rope coming right at him. He held out his hand and formed a small circular shield about twelve inches in diameter. He knew that if he tried to make a larger one, the power would be spread too thin to hold back the attack. As it was, the force shoved him back a few inches and his shield started to crack, but he held his ground.

It also helped that in order to attack Dave, Megan had left herself open. Balthazar launched a plasma bolt at her side and Megan fell. The whip found its target due to the momentum, but the force was considerably decreased.

Balthazar knelt down and took a ring off her left hand's middle finger. "Grab her whip!" shouted Balthazar as he tossed the woman over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "And make yourself invisible!"

The two ran into the trees. By this time, two more guards had started following the Merlinians, but Balthazar and Dave had a good head start and, despite the weight on Balthazar, they were able to evade their pursuers. It also helped that there were only two pursuers. There had only been four guards plus the captain at the gate. After all, they hadn't known they were dealing with sorcerers.

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"Okay Dave, we can stop," announced Balthazar when they came across a small clearing in the woods. He leaned forward and deposited Megan roughly on the ground before straightening up and stretching his limbs.

"How did she get to us so fast? One second she was at the check point, the next—" Dave threw up his arms.

"She's a battle caster," said Balthazar, collapsing to the ground.

"What's a battle caster?" asked Dave as he sat down cross-legged.

"A sorcerer whose training has been combat oriented. They're the martial arts masters of the magical world. Battle casters have used magic to augment their body to withstand extreme trauma. They can actually jump over buildings that are several stories tall, cling to walls, move with extreme speed, which is how she caught up to us so fast. They can bench press a couple of medium-sized cars. They are also weapon designers, using their knowledge to create magical tools that have military applications, like that whip of hers."

"What, like, cross between Spider-man and Tony Stark?" asked Dave.

"Again with the comic book references?" sighed the master.

Dave smiled sheepishly. "You're a DC guy, aren't you?"

"I do prefer Batman."

"Why didn't you just lie and tell her I work in the field?"

"She's too observant, she would have noticed the lack of calluses on your hands, with all the wooden tools, even doing women's work or been a messenger working with horses you should have some. There's not a job outside of the castle where you wouldn't have calluses, and your fingernails are way too clean."

"We could have told her we were new."

Balthazar shook his head. "Alyne tortured a few people to death remember? All the bus people would have been there for that, she'd remember them. Besides Malcolm was there and would have contradicted any other story we gave. I figured it was best to just run."

"Why take her? Questioning?"

Balthazar nodded. "I cast a sleep spell. She'll be out for a bit. Still have water in your satchel?"

"Yeah." Dave opened his bag and pulled out a water bottle, tossing it to his master.

"Thanks," said Balthazar, taking several long gulps before tossing it back to the apprentice. Dave took a few sips before putting the bottle off to the side.

"So what now? We just wait?"

"For now, and keep our eyes and ears open for the search party that's bound to come after her."

"I'm rather looking forward to that," said a female voice pleasantly.

Balthazar and Dave jumped to their feet. Megan rubbed her head and slowly sat up to stare at her captors. "Aren't you going to be polite and offer me a drink?" she asked pleasantly, looking at the water bottle at Dave's feet.

Dave turned to Balthazar who nodded. He tossed the woman the bottle.

"Thank you," she said graciously as she caught the object. She took a few sips and crossed her legs, looking up at her captors as if she were at a tea party with friends.

Dave leaned back against a nearby tree. "Don't suppose you'd mind telling us how we can bring down your family."

"'Fraid not. The simple fact of the matter is you can't, you're vastly outnumbered."

"How many sorcerers live at the castle? Is that where all the sorcerers in this area reside? What's the guard schedule?" asked Balthazar.

Megan snickered, "Yeah, like I'm going to tell you."

Dave felt a sudden force at his side that sent him sprawling rather ungracefully to the forest floor.

"Balthazar! What was—" he stopped suddenly when Balthazar gestured to the tree Dave had been leaning against. Shards of ice were embedded in the wood where he had been standing. Dave looked over to their prisoner.

Megan was still sitting on the ground. She crossed her arms and glared. "I'm a battle caster, you twit. I know how to cripple, maim and kill with a few well-placed strokes of a butter knife. Give me a few drops of water, I'll turn it to ice and send the shards deep into your throat."

"… I'll keep that in mind." He turned to Balthazar while he reached into his pocket. "Thought we took her focus," he continued as he slipped on his ring. Megan's eyes narrowed at the dragon.

"Apparently we only took a decoy," said Balthazar lightly.

Megan jumped to her feet as Balthazar took a step towards her. "You really should have been more thorough, sorcerer."

Dave quickly got back up and shot out a plasma bolt. The woman was too fast, however, and easily dodged the missile and charged forward.

Only to slip and fall flat on her face.

"Ice?" She looked up from the frozen patch on the ground to Balthazar who had circled around to her left flank, knowing she'd have a harder time hitting him if she had to turn her body to blast him.

"Cute, Balthazar, real cute," she continued dryly.

Balthazar raised an eyebrow at the woman's demeanor. As soon as she started getting herself back to her feet, however, he sent out a concussion wave which sent her flying into a tree to her left.

Megan reached out and grabbed the trunk of the tree to steady herself as she got to her knees and turned to Balthazar, a smile on her lips.

"You do realize this tree is like a baseball bat to people like me, right?" In one swift movement she dug her fingers into the tree and, grabbing it with her other hand, used both to tear the tree from its stump. She swung widely in the general direction of her opponents.

Dave instantly threw his arms up around his head and put up a shield out of instinct. He heard a loud crack and slowly lowered his arms to see the tree had been split in half. It had broken right where it was about to hit him.

He turned to see Balthazar coiling the whip he had taken from Megan. The master sorcerer was looking around trying to determine where the captain had run off to in the confusion. His eyes narrowed when he spotted a snapped branch.

"Come on!" ordered Balthazar as he started running, Dave not far behind. "A burst of strength like that would have cost her, she can't have gotten far."

They soon found Megan standing in a small clearing, holding out her palms, a ball of red light between them. She looked up and, seeing them, smiled before firing the ball into the air. It exploded, sending bits of red light in all directions.

"You a betting man, Blake?" she asked pleasantly. "Because depending on how many of my men are nearby, you could have anywhere from no company to a company of twenty sorcerers, battle casters and armed brawlers." Her lips curved into a smirk as she looked the pair over, noting Dave's more labored breathing. "So, do you want to try and capture me again?"

Both master and apprentice turned when they heard rustling behind them and saw two men and a woman appear from behind the trees.

"About time you three got here," chuckled Megan at the new arrivals. Balthazar turned to face the captain when he felt the whip he had taken from her fly from his hand.

"You really shouldn't let yourself get so distracted, Balthazar."

She sent the length of the whip flying towards the master sorcerer, who nimbly dodged to the side.

"Dave! Handle the others!"

The 'others' decided that their boss had a handle on her opponent and focused on the apprentice, each launching a strong plasma bolt at the youth. Dave threw up a shield before the plasma bolts hit and launched his own bolt at one of the men before ducking behind a tree for cover.

He needed a plan and he needed to take these guys out quick. Unfortunately, there were no cables nearby or any other technology he could manipulate and turn into a weapon.

Dave heard a crunching noise just three feet away on the other side of the tree and decided to move. He jumped out from behind his wooden shield and used a blindness spell on the man who had been approaching the tree. He then levitated the man and sent him flying towards the woman who was readying a plasma bolt. The other man, the one Dave had hit earlier, was up again and sent a concussion wave towards the apprentice. With too little time to react, Dave was sent flying. He looked up a few moments later to see his attacker bending over the woman. Dave took the opportunity to get to his feet and launched his own concussion wave at his attacker. The man went flying. Dave looked around for the man he had blinded and saw him off to the left. The man was glaring at the apprentice, having thrown off the spell, and was readying a plasma bolt. Dave conjured a shield in time to block the assault. He then cast an invisibility spell on himself and willed twigs a few feet away to move and crack. The man aimed another bolt at the empty space, creating the needed opening for Dave to blast him.

The man crumpled just as Dave heard the crack of a whip. He ran over to the clearing and found his fight had fortunately not taken him far.

He reached the area in time to see Megan try to hit Balthazar with her whip. It missed and struck a tree. It didn't cleave the plant in half like before, but it still made a slash several inches deep. Dave stepped out from behind the trees, but he hadn't taken more than two steps forward when Balthazar spotted him and held up his hand, signaling Dave not to interfere, before he returned his focus to Megan who was breathing heavily. "You've only got a couple more left in you, Megan, and my apprentice beat your battle casters. Give up!"

Megan smiled. "More are on their way, Blake. They'll be here in seconds. You can't sense them getting closer, but I can. As for my whip, you're right. I only got a couple more shots left and you're too quick. So I guess I'll just have to aim for where it will be sure to hurt

Balthazar's eyes widened and he took off as towards his "Dave, move!" he shouted fear filling his voice.

But Dave didn't have enough time. He was tired from the run earlier and the three battle casters hadn't helped, the healing had been draining and after seeing his master not having any trouble, Dave had allowed himself to relax. He just had time to look up, see the whip coming towards him and close his eyes. But the whip never hit him. It hit something else. _Someone_ else.

Balthazar was right in front of Dave, his arms outstretched and pressing against the tree Dave had been standing in front of, using it to support himself. To make matters worse, Dave saw two women and a man enter the clearing from behind Balthazar, and heard even more to his left.

"Run," ordered Balthazar, blood dripping from his mouth. "I'll deal with them, meet you back at the mill."

"Are you insan—"

"I was only injured because I had to watch your back!" hissed Balthazar, a few drops of blood spilling from his mouth and onto his apprentice's face. "You're distracting me, get out of here!"

Balthazar grabbed Dave's collar and shoved the boy aside. Dave almost lost his balance, but recovered.

"Run! Before you get me killed!" shouted Balthazar, turning to face his opponents.

"Stop that boy!" yelled Megan after hearing Balthazar's orders.

Dave turned and ran. Balthazar tried to stare down his opponents, but they weren't paying him any attention. He didn't blame them. He could barely stand, and he knew he couldn't fight these guys. Aside from Megan there were eight others, five of which were about to pass him in their pursuit of Dave.

Balthazar shot at the nearest tree with weak rapid-fire plasma bolts from his left hand. The trio fell, but quickly got up again and started towards him.

"Ignore him! Get the boy!" shouted Megan, before sending a plasma bolt of her own towards Balthazar, hitting him squarely in the chest. Balthazar fell as pain ripped through him, his injured back hitting the hard ground and the world went black.

* * *

><p>OH I am such an evil, evil cliffy mistress you shall all bow before me! Wahahaha. Seriously though I'll get three out as soon as possible I swear I don't actually want to leave you guys hanging like this hopefully my beta will get three done soon, but she is busy. (Working two jobs, and in a play.)<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

**Forgiveness**

**Disclaimer****:** **All Publicly Recognizable Characters, Settings, Ideas, etc. are the Property of Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions. The Original Characters and Plot are the Property of the Author. The Author is in no way Associated with the Owners, Creators, or Producers of Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions. No Copyright Infringement is intended.**

**Chapter III**

Balthazar groaned as the floor beneath him jostled and rattled about. He took a moment to feel out his situation before opening his eyes. He was lying on his stomach, hands and legs unbound. He tried to move, but found he couldn't and he didn't feel the familiar pressure of any of his rings save for his wedding band. He breathed out a sigh of relief that he still had it. The floor beneath him felt like wood, and judging from the way it was jostling, he figured he must be in a cart or a wagon. He was relieved to note that his back didn't hurt. If he could move, he might be able to fight. Slowly, he opened his eyes.

"Awake?" said a voice he recognized.

"Megan… where am I?"

"In a cart. We're been transported to the main castle, where you'll be granted an audience with Alyne.

Balthazar snorted. '_Granted'. _Riiight.

"My back…"

"That's been healed. You were lucky. Your coat, it's dragon hide, right? There was pretty minimal damage to your back. The whip didn't slice through your coat but the force of the blow shattered part of your scapula and broke a few ribs. Pieces of bone became embedded in your lungs, which is why you were coughing up blood. If you didn't have this coat on, the damage would have been lethal. Do you remember been being healed?"

"No."

"Well you woke up for it. Fortunately we gagged you beforehand so you didn't bite off your tongue. My healer wasn't very gentle, so it was more painful then it had to be. You're lucky you were too out of it to remember." She told him dryly.

Funny, Balthazar didn't feel particularly lucky right now.

"Why did you heal me? Where's Dave?"

"The answer to both is the same. Dave got away. We'd like you to tell us where he is before he gets really annoying."

Balthazar scoffed at the idea.

"Thought you'd say that, which brings up another reason we healed you. Alyne will want to interrogate you, and you wouldn't survive unless we patched you up completely."

Balthazar once again tried to move his limbs but couldn't even curl a finger.

"Why can't I move?"

"Paralytic spell, and without your ring you can't break it. Don't worry, I'll remove it once we reach the castle. We're just a few minutes away."

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Dave, meanwhile, ran as soon as Balthazar had turned his back. The younger man had run for all he was worth. Fortunately, this was something he had a lot of practice with, running from bullies. lol He had enough sense to cast an invisibility spell on himself and a sound spell on his feet to prevent his footfalls from been being heard. And he just ran, not paying any attention to where he was going. Eventually, he fell forward. He tried to scramble back to his feet but his legs wouldn't obey him. It was only then he realized that he was gasping for breath, his throat raw. Now that he thought about it, breathing was pretty painful. He brought his hand to his chest, and his eyes widened at the feeling of his heart pounding against his rib cage. The thing felt like it was about to burst out.

His legs hurt and still wouldn't obey him.

He used his arms to crawl over to the nearest tree and prop himself into a sitting position with his back to it.

He couldn't believe he had done that. He had run until he had literally collapsed from exhaustion. No wonder his legs wouldn't move. He needed to figure out where he was, rest, and get back to the mill. He told himself Balthazar would be there, but he knew his master wouldn't be. There had been too much blood coming out his mouth.

Dave flinched and shook his head. Balthazar had probably just bitten his tongue. There was no reason to assume the man had suffered internal injuries. His coat had been fine, Dave had seen that. Megan's whip hadn't sliced through. Balthazar was smart and strong, and he— he was fine. He was fine and waiting at the mill.

"_I was only injured because I had to watch you're back!" _

'_Ouch,' _thought Dave as the memory hit him full force. He had managed to avoid thinking about it by running and not stopping, but now that he was forced to rest, the memory was rearing it's ugly head.

"_Run before you get me killed!" _

Dave hugged his knees. If only he had been quicker, if only he hadn't relaxed, Balthazar wouldn't have been hurt. He wouldn't have been cap—

Dave shook his head, dispelling the thought before it could fully form. He needed to focus on getting back to the mill. He looked in the direction he had come, fairly sure he had run in a straight line, at least in the same general direction. He looked up at the sky and judged he had run north by northeast, and he and Balthazar had been west of the mill. So if he went south, that would take him in the general direction of the mill, or at least to an area he recognized.

He gathered water from the air to drink, easing his throat. He wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. If Megan or one of her cronies came, he wouldn't be able to stand. He barely had enough in him to gather water. He closed his eyes and slept, too exhausted to even think further.

Three hours later, Dave pushed the door of the mill open, greeted by its creaking and groaning. He had slept about an hour, then started his trek back to the mill where he had hoped Balthazar would be waiting for him.

But he wasn't there. No one was.

"Balthazar?" called Dave refusing to give up hope just yet. He darted over to the loose floor boards and poked his head into the crawlspace, casting a light spell as he did so. He saw their gear and sleeping bags, but no Balthazar.

The apprentice took deep breaths and tried to calm down. He got out his sleeping bag and unzipped the side so he could use it as a blanket before sitting down against a section of wall right across from the door. If Balthazar hadn't been captured and was late, Dave wanted to see him as soon as he arrived. If he had been captured and tortured so badly that he revealed Dave's location, then the youth wanted to be the first thing Megan and her men saw when they came to investigate. He wouldn't even put up a fight. They might decide to take it out on Balthazar. The apprentice doubted his master would crack. But he was human, right?

His stomach churned when he remembered what Maggie had said about Alyne being a sadist who had tortured people from the tour bus to death in the public square because they protested their slave status. He hoped Balthazar would talk. Dave didn't think he could handle much more guilt.

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Balthazar clenched his right hand, his thumb habitually rubbing his finger where his ring should be, an old habit that had never died out. He was in shackles with his wrists bound together by a chain that went down and constricted his ankles as well. He also had a collar around his neck. It had four rings; one at the front, the back and both sides. The two guards escorting him each had a pole with a hook at the end. These were in the rings on the sides of Balthazar's collar and were being used to direct the master sorcerer.

Ahead of him he could see three thrones. The largest one was in the center and was currently the only one occupied. In it sat a woman with long, light brown hair and green eyes. She was thin and, in the light green dress she wore, appeared very elegant. The only really unattractive thing about her was the cruel smile on her lips. She was absently twiddling Balthazar's ring between her fingers.

"Well, well, the great Balthazar Blake," she said pleasantly as the guards stopped Balthazar several feet from the throne. She raised an eyebrow at the guards when Balthazar just stood there saying nothing. In unison, both guards yanked their poles back, offsetting Balthazar's balance then forcing him to fall forward onto his knees. He glared at the woman.

"Alyne Orrick, I presume?" asked Balthazar dryly, sounding almost bored.

"Very good," she replied with a slight nod. "Now, we don't get out much, but if the Prime Merlinian is here, and you have a wedding band, then it's a safe bet that you not only found the the boy but freed Veronica and killed Morgana. Congratulations. Now, I would very much like to meet your apprentice. Where is he?" She cocked her head when Balthazar didn't answer, carefully examining his face. "Must you be difficult?" Balthazar still said nothing. Alyne sighed before continuing. "So, neither of you know the area very well, that would limit hiding places. Where would he go?"

Balthazar looked at the floor, still silent. Alyne rolled her eyes and stood. Smiling, she walked towards her captive, red flame burning from her hand. She got down on one knee so that she was eye level with Balthazar and held out her hand.

"Do you know what this is?" she queried pleasantly.

"Greecian burn spell."

"Know what it does?"

"Makes the victim feel as if they're on fire."

"Correct, it's not a very pleasant experience. Where is he?"

Balthazar said nothing and just continued to stare at the floor. Alyne pressed her hand to his chest. The master sorcerer threw his head back and screamed. Eventually, Alyne removed her hand and repeated her question.

Balthazar just stared at her, a slight smile on his lips as he panted. "That all... you... got?"

"Unfortunately for you, no." She turned to the guards. "Take him to the dungeons. Beat him, break his fingers, ribs, legs, everything. Have the healers repair the bones and repeat the process again. Bring him into interrogation cell number three, then come and get me."

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"Where is the boy?"

"Pittsburgh." The circle surrounding the ancient sorcerer glowed red, and Balthazar was dimly aware of his body contorting as a wave of pain ripped through him.

Balthazar lifted his head from the stone floor. Using his arms, he propped himself up so that he was sitting on his knees.

"Alright, I lied, he's in Connecticut. Ahhhh!" screamed Balthazar as another more painful shock made him feel like he was been ripped in half.

"The boy, Blake."

"Kansas."

Balthazar felt himself lifted into the air. He didn't struggle, just tensed his muscles in preparation for the inevitable contact with the ground. His tormentor sent him crashing to the stone floor, feet first.

"Ahh!" cried Balthazar as he felt his right leg break from the impact.

"The boy."

"Connecticut."

"You already said that."

"Did I?" he asked with a slight chuckle, looking up at her. His mouth twisted into a painful smirk as blood started dripping from the corners of his lips. He had bitten his tongue in an attempt to stop himself from screaming. "So hard to keep track." Alyne sighed and walked into the circle. She knelt down beside the Merlinian and gently pushed a few strands of his hair aside. "Let's start a little easier, then. Megan heard you call the boy 'Dave,' but you never gave a last name."

Balthazar smiled and spat a wad of blood at her face. Alyne reached out and was handed a handkerchief by one of the guards.

"Classy," she sneered as she stood, wiping her face. "Goodnight, Blake." She turned to the door, then stopped and looked back at the master sorcerer. "I'll see you again after breakfast. By the way, you like oatmeal?"

"Excuse me?"

"We don't have an interest in starving you to death."

"Oatmeal?"

"Yes, it's healthy and filling. Well, doesn't matter, that's what you're going to get."

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"Don't like oatmeal, then?" asked Alyne.

Balthazar chose not to answer. He hadn't touched the food he had been given, not because he wasn't hungry or didn't like oatmeal but because he found it good practice not to accept food from a known enemy.

He felt himself being lifted into the air and gently placed against the wall.

"I have good news and bad news, Blake. The good news is, today won't be as painful. The bad news is, it will be far, far more humiliating. We will be taking you out to the public square and torturing you there. Word will spread and your apprentice will be too worried about you to bother formulating a plan that will succeed in getting you both out of here. Why not just save yourself some pain and tell us where the boy would hide?"

Balthazar just stared tiredly at the woman. She sighed and started unbuttoning his vest.

"Now, don't get excited, this is purely professional."

"Lady," he hissed, pronouncing the title like a curse. "You're not my type." She smiled and started on his shirt. He knew why she was doing this. She needed the people to see his blood, see that he was a weak human and make sure they told Dave about it, about his inability to protect himself, about the screams and the pain and the blood that was shortly to come.

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There was a stage in the middle of the town square. It was used as both a place to make announcements and perform public executions. Like the many medieval towns Balthazar had visited all those centuries ago. It was exactly like countless medieval towns Balthazar had visited all those centuries ago. He hadn't liked them then, either. He hadn't liked them then.

In a way, he was glad he hadn't found Dave at that point in time. It had been no place or time to raise a family like the one he wanted with Veronica. Then there was all the plagues. He really appreciated that the immortality spell had helped protect him from disease.

He was shirtless and shoeless. Balthazar felt the poke of a blade at his back and descended from the cart awkwardly since his hands were tied behind his back.

Sword still poking into his back, he walked up the stairs to the platform. Alyne was there, smiling maliciously. Balthazar rolled his eyes he was getting sick of that self satisfied smirk. One guard placed the tip of his sword at the sorcerer's throat while the other secured a rope to the bindings around Balthazar's wrists and looped it over a beam that was secured to a pole in the stage.

Alyne took a moment to observe her prey. She hadn't had much opportunity in the darkened cell last night. Balthazar was muscular, very... well chiseled. The numerous scars on his torso explained his high tolerance for pain, that it was obviously nothing new to him. There were burn scars, scars that could only be caused from stabbing, lash marks, and so many others. His skin looked more like a patchwork quilt than human flesh. Many of the scars overlapped each other, and it looked like a wolf or some such creature managed to do a number on his right arm at some point. None of it, however, detracted from the man's overall appearance.

Alyne decided to stop admiring and get to work. "People of Aldercy!" she shouted. "This man claims to be a powerful sorcerer! He claims he can free you! That his apprentice will help you!

She turned to look at the master sorcerer. "He can't save you."

Balthazar tensed when the crowd did. He grimaced in pain when the whip struck his back, but he remained silent. This was easier to bear than yesterday's torture. It made sense, because back then they had been going for pain. Today was about humiliation, showing the people that he was helpless, that neither he nor Dave could save them. For that, they needed his torture to be bloody, visual. They also needed him screaming, but he wasn't going to let that happen. They needed Dave to hear about this and become so incensed that he wouldn't think straight. He would come straight to them. Balthazar had had all night, but he still hadn't been able to come up with a counter plan, other than remaining silent so that maybe Dave wouldn't think the torture was anything the master sorcerer couldn't handle. He doubted it would work, but it was something. Beside, he was a proud man, and he had no desire to give them the satisfaction.

After twenty lashes, Alyne ordered her man to stop. She walked up behind Balthazar, and he could feel her breath on his ear.

"I had hoped today would be easier for you, but unless you start screaming in agony soon, I'll have to get really nasty and use those spells from yesterday. As I'm sure you recall, you weren't so closed-lipped then. Save yourself the trouble."

"Better those spells than your voice."

The pain was sudden, too sudden. Blake was unprepared when the spell ripped through him. He couldn't stop himself from crying out. He felt like he was been burned, gutted and ripped apart all at once.

"I invented that one. Problem is, it's too potent. You know how pain receptors work? How they tell the difference between a burn or a cut? Chemicals. Different chemicals are released in different quantities. Now, imagine your body starts producing and releasing all these chemicals in massive amounts. I was nice yesterday. I only used the old-fashioned stuff. Start screaming."

She turned her head to look at one of her men. Balthazar saw her give a curt nod, then felt an intense burning sensation on his back.

Balthazar relaxed his facial muscles as the red-hot iron dug into his back. He didn't even grimace. He looked off and into the crowd. He saw Isabel and shot her a tired smile and a wink, hoping to reassure her, make her think he was okay. Maybe she would tell Dave and he would be alright. Maybe the apprentice wouldn't come. And maybe pigs would sprout wings and fly south for the winter.

After a few moments, the iron was removed and Alyne rested her hand on Balthazar's shoulder.

"Last chance."

"Go to hell."

At the far edge of the gathered crowd stood an elderly women named Amanda Evans. She was seventy years old and had lived in the village her whole life. She had few health problems, but her ears were going, and people had to shout for her to hear them. Even she had to plug her ears when Alyne cast the spell.

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"Just throw him on the floor," Alyne ordered the two guards who were carrying Balthazar back to his cell. "We don't need him alive anymore. The apprentice will come."

"You're not going to touch him," rasped Balthazar, his throat raw from all the screaming he had done. Every breath was labored. He didn't even have the strength to lift his head.

"You're still conscious?" asked Alyne in disbelief. "Wow, that is impressive. Chain him up on the right side of the cell," she ordered, pointing to a pair of short shackles. "Hold on," she said, holding up her hand. "I have to do something first." She stared at the wall, her eyes glowed blue. She held up her hand and it started to glow, and the air in front shimmered slightly.

"A snapshot wall?" rasped Balthazar almost too quietly for Alyne to hear. His voice was growing weaker with every word he spoke.

"Uh huh," she turned to him, smiling. "You are going to _hate_ this."

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Dave jumped when he heard the door creak open. He had been half asleep at the time, but now he was fully awake and scrambling to his feet. He relaxed when he saw it was only Isabel, not Megan and her cronies, though he tried to hide his disappointment at the visitor not been his master.

"Hey Isabel, what's wrong?" asked Dave as he darted up to the young girl. He knelt down so that he was eye level with her and gently took hold of her hands which she was using to wipe her tear-stained face and red eyes.

She looked at Dave, her lip trembling. She swallowed and opened her mouth as if to say something but only managed to emit a wail before wrapping her arms around Dave's neck and balling into his chest.

Dave quickly recovered from his shock and held the girl close. Eventually, she stopped her sobs and he pulled back. Dave reached into his back pocket. There was no handkerchief, but there was a candy wrapper. He quickly transformed it and handed it to her. She took it, wiped her eyes and blew her nose before handing it back to him.

"Keep it," said Dave with a slight smile. "What's wrong?"

Isabel's eyes started to water and Dave was afraid she'd start crying again, but she gathered herself.

"Alyne used the square again."

Dave's blood froze.

"She tortured Balthazar. Dave ther-ther-there was so much blood, and he was screaming, an-and-and ahhh!" She wrapped her arms around Dave again and continued to wail and ball into his chest. Dave wrapped his arms around her out of instinct and just held her, his mind numb.

After a few moments, his mind started to work again.

Balthazar had been captured.

They had hurt him enough to make him scream.

His mind went numb again.

It was only a few minutes later that his mind began to form thoughts once more, but unfortunately they were no more pleasant.

Balthazar had been captured and tortured because of him.

Again his mind shut down, unable to process any further thought. He felt Isabel pushing him, trying to get away. He unwrapped his arms and stared down at the little girl.

"Was Balthazar still alive when you saw him?" he asked, the cogs in his head beginning to turn once more.

"Yes."

Dave let out a sigh of relief. Balthazar was alive. That was something.

"When Alyne was cutting him down, she said she'd torture him again tomorrow morning unless you turned yourself over to her!"

Dave froze. Balthazar hadn't talked and it had cost him. All because Dave couldn't dodge.

The apprentice got up off the floor and grabbed his sleeping bag. He tossed it back underneath the floorboards, grabbed his jacket and started walking towards the door.

"Go home, Isabel."

The girl sniffled. Dave turned to look at her.

"Balthazar's tough. He'll be fine. I'm going to go get him now." The little girl continued to sniffle and wipe her eyes with her new handkerchief.

"Can you get home on your own?" She had done it before, but she was so upset. He wasn't sure she could make it home on her own in this state. He held out his hand. This girl was his responsibility. He would see her home and then make his way over to the castle.

It was hours later that Dave was squatting next to some reeds by the moat that encircled the castle. Getting Isabel back home had proved to be easy. They had been walking all of ten minutes, Dave casting an invisibility spell the hide the pair. Isabel had had some fun trying to see her hand while waving it in front of her face while her other hand clutched Dave's. Isabel tugged on his arm suddenly and whispered that she spotted her mom. There were a few other people on the street, so Dave and Isabel had ducked behind a house so that Dave could lift the invisibility spell without making the locals wonder why two people had literally popped out of nowhere.

He had watched her run to her mother who lifted the child into the air and held her close. Dave smiled, thinking of his own mom. He shook his head. He didn't have time to think about that now.

Isabel pointed to the building where Dave was and Maggie looked over and spotted him. He gave her a quick wave before turning invisible again and starting towards the castle.

The continued use of the invisibility spell took its toll. Dave had had to hide and rest on many occasions. Over half the trip had been spent resting and he was still trying to catch his… what, fiftieth wind? He'd lost count.

Just a few more minutes and he'd be ready to attempt to get in. The plan was simple-freeze a path of water, walk over to the wall of the castle across the moat and phase through and find the dungeons.

Everything after that depended on Balthazar's condition. Dave's stomach churned at the thought of what they had done. Balthazar was strong. Dave knew the man could take a lot of punishment. The fact that they hadn't managed to find his breaking point wasn't comforting. As far as Dave knew, the man didn't have any. Save for his family.

Dave sat back in the grass, resting. He needed to be in top for. No telling what he had to deal with. It was another half an hour before he finally felt rested enough to move.

The water was easy, simple molecule manipulation. He poked his head through the wall and into a washroom which, fortunately, was empty. He stepped through and unfroze the ice. He then cast an illusion to make himself look like a guard, lightening his hair and turning his eyes blue. He listened at the door, and after a few moments of nothing, he stepped out and started looking for stairs that would take him to the lower levels.

He saw a few people-servants, sorcerers and other guards-but they paid him no mind. He tried to act like he belonged. It took him a half hour to find the dungeons. He tried every cell door he came across. If it was locked, he magicked it open. It was less draining than phasing. He saw other prisoners shackled to the wall. They all appeared to be…resting. They weren't moving at any rate, for the most part. A few times the inhabitants backed away, pressing themselves further into the wall furthest from the door. Dave just closed the door quickly and locked it again afterwards. Every time he did he felt sick, but he knew if someone found that a door that was supposed to be locked wasn't locked it would raise the alarm. Everyone he saw was in shackles so it's not like having the door unlocked would help them anyway. Besides, soon he and Balthazar would bring an end to the Orricks and they'd all be free. At least, that's what he kept telling himself.

"Balthazar?" whispered Dave, opening the door of the twenty-sixth cell. "You in here?" He squinted at the form on the floor, in the middle of an engraved circle with markings he couldn't make out. He raised his hand and conjured a ball of light that would illuminate the cell only for the caster. His eyes widened. There was no mistaking _that _bird's nest.

"Balthazar!" He ran towards his master. "Oh God, oh God." Dave couldn't believe it-the dried and crusted blood, the bruises and welts, and that was just the back. Gently, Dave brushed the hair out of his master's face. He could barely see Balthazar's eye, it was so swollen. There was a large welt on his cheek, his nose was crooked, and his breathing was labored. Dave could only see half of Balthazar's face, the other side resting on the cold, filthy stone floor. The wounds were probably infected.

"Why didn't you just tell them what they wanted? I could've handled them! I would have forgiven you. You should have told them. You didn't have to… I, I'm so sorry. Oh God, please be okay." Dave took a deep breath to steady himself. The man was breathing. He was alive. Dave needed to focus. "We have to get out of here." Dave tried to lift Balthazar's arm over his shoulder and hoist the older man to his feet.

"Wha—" exclaimed Dave as he let go of Balthazar in an attempt to dodge the flash of a blade. He felt it slice open his cheek. He brought his hand up to the wound and looked at the man kneeling on the ground.

"Who are you?"

The man looked up at him. "Balthazar."

"No, he would never attack me—"

"It stopped them Dave, I couldn't..." Fake Balthazar looked at the floor.

Dave took a step back from the impostor. "No," said Dave raising a hand for emphasis. "No, no no. Even if you broke him, even if you hurt him so bad he'd betray me to make it stop he'd never attack me. Give up my location maybe, but come at me with a knife!? You're lying. Where is—!"

Dave fell forward onto his knees, but he didn't understand why. He wasn't injured aside from the cut, so why were his legs weak? He shook his head, his vision getting blurry, and he was hot, flushed.

The figure shifted from Balthazar into Alyne. "My dagger was coated with a poison," she sneered. "It'll hurt, and you're gonna lose the contents of your stomach. But it won't kill you."

"Where is he?" Dave managed to rasp before his body convulsed and bile came out his mouth.

Alyne hesitated a moment, then shrugged and snapped her fingers. Dave saw the air shimmer before the snapshot wall disintegrated and there was Balthazar, chained to the wall in a kneeling position, arms spread. He was held in place by four strips of metal bolted to the wall, two just above his elbows and the other two around his wrists. The impostor hadn't exaggerated about Balthazar's wounds. If anything, the master's eye was even more swollen, his chest was covered in dried blood, and there were welts from burns. Blood trickled down from the metal straps. Balthazar had strained against them in an effort to warn Dave about the danger.

"Dave, run!"

"Too late for that, Balthazar. The poison has already taken effect. Dave can't stand, much less run." She informed the pair in an annoyingly cheerful voice.

Dave reach out, grabbed Alyne's ankle, and conjured a plasma bolt.

"Arrrgh!" Alyne waved her arms, but the damage to her ankle left her unable to regain her balance. She landed ungracefully on her bum.

"Big mistake, David." She held out her hand, palm facing Balthazar.

"No!" shouted Dave. "Please!"

Alyne fired, and the plasma bolt hit Balthazar square in the chest.

"Balthazar!" rasped Dave he started crawling towards his master while Alyne worked on healing her ankle. He was about halfway there when he felt pressure on his back and was forced down onto the floor.

"That wasn't very nice, Dave," scolded Alyne, pressing her foot with the now healed ankle down on the apprentice's back. In his weakened state, Dave couldn't do anything other than become acquainted with the floor.

"That's because I really don't like you."

"You're a very rude young man."

"You're a murdering psychopath. Balthazar! Come on buddy, say something."

"I think your master's dead, Dave."

"No, no he's breathing. Help him, please… please."

Alyne smiled as she turned her head from Dave to Balthazar. "How about I just kill him? Right in front of you."

Dave held up his hand and a weak shield formed in front of Balthazar.

"Okay, that's impressive. Weak, but I'd have thought you'd have lost consciousness by now." She pointed with her finger and shot out a plasma bolt. It broke through the shield and hit the wall just above Balthazar's shoulder.

"I'll send in a healer for him and a couple of guards to deal with you."

Dave heard the door open and felt himself being dragged up by his arms. He struggled and tried to speak, but his body convulsed again and he started gagging, trying to empty an already depleted stomach.

He thought he heard Balthazar say something about cronies getting their hands off his apprentice, but he couldn't be sure. He was pretty out of it, and he struggled futilely as the arms dragged him from the cell and away from his master.


	4. Chapter 4

**Forgiveness**

**Summary: A tour bus disappears in an isolated part of England's country side where many people have vanished before. Balthazar goes to investigate, and since Dave is on spring break he gets to come along. Oh joy.**

**Disclaimer: All Publicly Recognizable Characters, Settings, Ideas, etc. are the Property of Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions. The Original Characters and Plot are the Property of the Author. The Author is in no way Associated with the Owners, Creators, or Producers of Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions. No Copyright Infringement is intended.**

**Chapter IV **

**May 18**

The next several hours were a painful blur. He was hot, sore, in pain and kept trying to throw up an empty stomach, his captors had placed him on a bed, but he fell off. Someone came in, heaved him back on the bed, he fell off a few minutes after whoever came in left. He felt like his organs were on fire. At some point sleep found him, and he woke up on the floor with the blankets tangle around him. His dexterity had suffered and it took him a good half hour to untangle himself.

Shakily he got to his feet, and wobbled more then walked towards the door. Put his hands against it and focused on passing through, only to receive an electric shock sending him flying and landing on his rear end.

"Ow," he laid back on the floor, deciding he would rest a bit before trying again.

He lifted his head when he heard the door open. There was Alyne standing, while a guard, who entered with her, closed the door behind them.

"How's Balthazar?" asked Dave turning his gaze back to the ceiling.

"Alive, he'll recover. Now what to do with you?" she raised her hand Dave felt himself been lifted and placed on the bed.

"Where is he?" asked Dave sitting up.

"In another cell, restrained. Man knows a few things about fighting. Gave one of my guards a black eye, and don't look so smug, his arm was broken as a result, should be fine in a few days." She added seeing his glare.

She took a seat beside him on the bed, "do you know how many sorcerers have existed in history who are capable of casting magic without a focus?"

"Two, besides me, Merlin and Morgana. Why are we still alive? I mean, the only reason you kept him alive was to lure me here, I'm here, you have me. Both me and Balthazar tried to bring you and your family down. So why not just kill us?"

Alyne smiled, "Good question. I take it you know of Dr. Mengele, you should have studied something about the holocaust in school, hard to miss his name. He was a Nazi doctor, my grandfather worked with him. He is most famous for his experiment on twins—"

"I know what he did!" exclaimed Dave.

"Right, well I can't help but wonder, what makes Merlin, and Morgana so different?"

Dave began to pale he clutched the edge of the bed. "Course you're very dangerous, the use of drugs to keep you subdued and not a threat to my people would taint the results, so I'd need your cooperation. "

"I'd never—"

Dave froze when he realised why Balthazar was still alive.

Alyne grinned, at the youth's expression. "Yes, you and your master are close aren't you? Must be, I mean you called him 'buddy' most apprentices aren't so informal, but you two…then there's what the man endured to protect you. And don't look so scared, the experiments won't be painful, for the most part, we need you healthy after all, and your health issues could taint the results just as easily as drugs could. Although the first test we have to run will hurt, it will probably be on par with what I did to Balthy—"

"Don't call him that!"

"Very well," she told him icily, "But the first experiment will hurt and like I said we need you to cooperate in order to have valid results."

Dave said nothing just stared at the floor. He was well versed in Dr. Mengele experiments, and the idea of been a guinea pig terrified him.

"Do you realise what that man put up with in an effort to keep you from coming?" she held up her hand a red energy forming into flame emanated from it

"Do you know what this is?"

"Something unpleasant?"

"Greececian Burn spell, makes the victim feel like they're on fire, they can feel their skin melt, the blood in the capillaries boil," she smiled. "And that's not the half of it." The energy from her hand changed from a flame to a deep red glow she brought her hand to Dave's chest.

Dave screamed, he couldn't believe the pain. He didn't think it was possible for a human to feel so much, like he was been drawn and quartered, dumped in acid burned alive all at once. Fortunately it ended quickly, Dave fell forward off his cot and onto his knees on the stone floor gasping for breath.

"I used that one a lot in the square, for two minute intervals and the time between wasn't much of a reprieve, your master was lashed, burned, cut and beaten. Through it all he said nothing about your location. Then there was what I did the night before…" she trailed off and smiled at the memory. "If you are one tenth of the man he is," she continued "You'll be able to endure a few uncomfortable experiments."

She stood and dusted herself off, "I'll give you time to think it over." She told him as she walked towards the door.

"There's nothing to think over," said Dave his voice caring only a slight tremor. "I'll, I'll cooperate, I'll do whatever you want. Just don't— don't hurt Balthazar."

"If you _both_ behave I won't," replied Alyne, still facing the door. Dave could hear the smirk in her voice.

"I'm not doing anything until I see him. Until I know he's alright."

Alyne turned to face him, "You'll do as you're told, or the next time you see you're master, you'll find out _exactly_ how much pain the man can endure."

Dave heard the door open and close he stayed as he was, on his knees. Going over what Alyne had told him, he couldn't believe Balthazar had done that. All that pain he wasn't sure he would have been able to hold out. And he wished Balthazar hadn't. The guilt was tearing Dave up, if only he had stayed with Balthazar. His master wouldn't have had to suffer, what had Balthazar been thinking? Dave would much rather the man had told Alyne what she wanted to know he would have forgiven him in a heartbeat. The apprentice couldn't believe it, he was actually _angry _at Balthazar for not betraying him, angry at the loyalty Balthazar showed. What was worse was that it was all for nothing, Dave was here, in Alyne's power and Balthazar had suffered all that for nothing.

Dave pounded the floor with his fist wishing he had something better to vent on. He'd be happier if Balthazar had just told them! Why didn't he? Why he'd have to be so bloody loyal!

"I would have forgiven you… you should have talked. I shouldn't have left, I should have gone to the castle… turned myself in sooner."

oo0oo

Balthazar moaned, and took stock of his situation. He was in a fairly comfortable bed that was next to one of the walls in his cell. His broken arm had been tended to, it was in a cast, and held in place by chain bolted to the wall and secured to the edge of the bed. His other arm and ankles were shackled to the three remaining poles of the bed. Ringless, and still in very bad shape from the torture he had endured, despite the, he had to grudgingly admit, top notch healing he had been given, he could not escape.

Balthazar frowned as a thought struck him, why was he been healed in a non-painful way? He was nearly pain free. Why would they do this? Did it have something to do with Dave? Had they wanted the kid for a reason other then the fact that Dave could be a thorn in their side?

The thought made his blood run cold. He started trying to free his left hand ignoring the pain caused by the metal digging into and breaking his skin the blood would only make his wrist slippery and aid his escape.

He had to stop a few minutes later however when he heard the door open.

"How's your back?" asked Alyne as she walked in. "The healing herbs and balms we put on should prevent any major discomfort."

"Where's Dave? Why am I alive?"

Alyne chuckled "Funny he asked the same questions. In another cell and we need Dave's cooperation for a few endeavours."

"What endeavours?"

"We're curious if we can somehow duplicate what he is, focusless sorcerers are rare, my grandfather worked with Dr Mengele, and I do have a master degree in general science from Stanford, so experimentation is nothing new to me." She raised her eyebrow as Balthazar struggle against his bindings.

"Argh!" he shouted in frustration.

Alyne rolled her eyes, and leaned forward so her face was a foot from his. "Give it a rest Balthazar, and don't cause trouble, because despite our agreement with Dave, we will hurt or even kill you if you get to be a problem. You seemed to like that little girl from the village, I bet Dave would like her too. If you die we could just use her as leverage. So do yourself, and her a favour and behave."

Balthazar turned his head to look the sadist in the eye, "I swear I'll kill you for this."

Alyne stood up and crossed her arms as she stared down at Balthazar over her nose. "Aren't you curious as to what we plan to do to him?"

"I'll stop you before you get the chance."

"Better work quick Balthazar, everything is just about set up. I'll be running the first test in half an hour."

oo0oo

"David?" said Alyne opening the cell door. "It's time for the first experiment you'll be taken to Balthazar after."

Dave nodded and stood, Alyne had sent someone to bring him food while she was gone and he felt a lot better for it. He followed Alyne out of the cell and noticed the eight other people. There were five guards with her as well as Megan, and two men Dave knew were sorcerers from the rings in their right index fingers. He ignored them and followed Alyne through the dungeon up some stairs then a corridor them up several flights of stairs.

"What are you going to do to me?"

"We want to know if you're just a better conduit then other sorcerers or if you have a great deal of power, or some combination of the two. This test is for conductivity, and it involves forcing a great deal of power through your body, a small amount at first then more, until basically we nearly kill you. Like I said it'll hurt. But you will survive, I promise."

"Oh that's comforting."

"We're here kiddo," announced Alyne, as she opened a pair of large double doors. The room was circular with a large crystal embedded in the ceiling. The floor was covered with engravings Dave had never seen before was in the center of the floor two stone poles rose, Dave was quick to note the chains attached to them.

"Secure him," ordered Alyne.

Dave allowed the accompanying sorcerers to shackle his wrist each one to a pole. Once he was secured Alyne walked up to him and held up a mouth guard. "So you don't bite your tongue or damage your teeth."

"How considerate," said Dave before she shoved the piece of plastic in his mouth.

Alyne turned from Dave and started walking "Begin." She ordered as soon as she stepped out of the circle. Dave felt energy course through him it tickled in an uncomfortable way but didn't hurt.

"More," he heard Alyne say.

The energy increased and so did Dave's discomfort but nothing he couldn't handle. The procedure was repeated again and again. Eventually it got painful, soon after it became near unbearable.

"Arrghh!" cried Dave as he bit down on the mouth guard. It felt like something was tearing apart his body cell by cell from the inside. He couldn't make out what was been said by the other sorcerers in the room. He was surprised when the pain increased, if it weren't for his brief exposure to Alyne's pain spell earlier he wouldn't have thought it was possible to hurt so much. His legs gave out, he writhed in agony supported only by the chains that held him. Eventually the pain ended. He barely registered the shackles been removed, he did feel the energy heal the cuts on his wrist caused by the shackles. He allowed himself to he half carried half dragged by two sorcerers out of the circle they brought him to a chair and sat him down. He flinched as a light was shone in his eye.

"Pupils are reactive," said male voice he didn't recognize. "Breathing is a bit shallow but that's expected. He needs rest."

"Perhaps it would be best if I took him to Balthazar after he's had a chance to," said Alyne

"No." murmured Dave "Take me to him, now, I want to see him."

"Fine," acquiesced Alyne she turned to another sorcerer. "Wheel him out."

It was then Dave realised he was in a wheelchair. He felt the chair been pushed and followed Alyne out the doors, magic was used to levitate him and the chair down the stairs. Dave tried to focus, get the lay of the land and find possible exits. He needed to figure out where Balthazar's ring was because as soon as the sorcerer was feeling better, Dave was getting them both out.

"Balthazar?"

"Dave!" the older man smiled and Dave was wheeled next to the bed.

The younger man frown at the sight there was dried and fresh blood around Balthazar's wrist and ankles where he had tried to slip out of his bindings. Dave took hold of Balthazar's shackled wrist and turned to Alyne who stood watching the pair from a few feet away.

"I'm gonna remove the shackles and patch up his wrist."

Alyne nodded her consent she wouldn't stop him just as well Dave didn't have the strength to fight her. He ensorcelled the shackles open and used his magic to heal his master.

"Dave you shouldn't have come."

"They said they'd torture you in the square everyday until I surrendered. I had to come."

"They did?"

Dave nodded, and glanced over his shoulder at Alyne then back at his master leaning in closer to whisper. "Our friend told me, that's what Alyne said when they were cutting you down, you must have been pretty out of it. How's your arm?"

"Fine, you still shouldn't have come."

"I couldn't let them—"

"I told you before Dave, this isn't a two way street, I'm the master, you're the apprentice. I'm supposed to look after you not the other way around. When I give you an order you follow it. I told you run."

"I'm done with that. I'm going to try and find your ring, as soon as I do, and you're feeling better, I'll bust us out of here, okay?" assured Dave before leaning back in his chair.

"What did they do to you?"

Dave smiled tiredly and gently put down Balthazar wrist then manoeuvred his chair to the other end of the bed, to have a look at the master Sorcerer's ankles.

"I'm fine Balthazar," assured Dave as he removed the shackles and healed the cuts they had caused.

"You look like shit Dave."

"You're no beauty king yourself."

Balthazar tried to sit up but the chain wrapped around his cast made that impossible. Dave glanced at Alyne who nodded, Dave waved his hand the chain came lose.

"Careful," warned Dave as his master hauled himself into a sitting position on the bed.

"Thanks, you know when we get out of this, you're cleaning the store top to bottom every Sunday for a month."

"Why?"

"Disobeying orders."

Dave shook his head before dropping it into his hands. "You know what? Okay, sure. I'm too tired to argue."

"On that note," said Alyne "Greg, take David back to his cell. He needs rest." She held out her hand and curled her finger. Dave's wheel chair turned away from Balthazar and started rolling towards the door.

Balthazar stood and started walking towards his apprentice "Hey, we're not done—" the chain the that had held the master sorcerer's cast had morphed, it became longer and the end turned into a collar that reached out and locked itself around Balthazar's throat, the chain had pulled taught interrupting the sorcerer, who fell back and onto his rear end.

"Balthazar!" exclaimed Dave.

"He's fine, let's go David."

Dave craned his neck trying to get a better look at his master, he saw the older man grimacing in pain as he lay on the floor, then the apprentice was through the door, and in the corridor.

oo0oo

Balthazar covered his ears, someone a few cells over was been tortured, worse it wasn't the voice of a man he heard, it was the voice of a kid, Balthazar guessed someone in their teens.

He had a knife, a small blade hidden in his belt, he could use it to pick the shackle around his neck, then the door, but he didn't think he could make it out, even if he did, he couldn't leave without Dave and if he did someone else would be found to act as leverage against the apprentice. Besides Balthazar would be injured and that would delay any escape the pair hopped to make.

His hands weren't doing much to stop the screams. His mind flashed back to the Spanish inquisition, he had lost a friends in that mess. One young sorcerer, Hector, Balthazar had thought he might be the Prime Merlinian, he hadn't been but he had had potential, Balthazar had trained him for a time, before handing him off to another sorcerer, a good man named Nazario.

He thought Hector would be safe, live in the country, with another sorcerer who owned a vineyard. A peaceful life, Hector hadn't been happy about been sent to another sorcerer, but his life had been in danger a few times and he had been mature enough to understand, he and Balthazar had kept in contact via magic, letters took to long.

Then the accusations had been thrown, Balthazar had hurried over, teleporting after a few missed calls, after that it had taken days to pinpoint his former apprentice's exact location. Nazario had already been killed, Balthazar had managed to get Hector out, but the formerly vivacious young man… he was a shell.

Balthazar shook his head dispelling the memory. He never even learned how the two had been taken Nazario was powerful, Hector talented, how had the civilians managed it?

He massaged his temple in another attempt to stave off the memories. The screaming wasn't helping. He thought of Dave, thought of his wife and still unborn child was it a girl or a boy? What if they were in a similar situation been tortured and someone nearby could help but didn't?

But he knew he would be tortured he knew they may even kill him, Dave was strong but he'd never get out without the older sorcerer, neither would the rest of the people, he needed to bide his time. Going now would delay everything, and even more people would get hurt or worse if he didn't do this right.

He had seen the effects of a bleed hearts who let emotion cloud their judgement, seen how much worse it made the situation.

He heard another scream.

Balthazar sat up and got his knife out, the lock took a few minutes to pick, his right arm was still broken.

He rubbed his neck before starting towards the door, it took a little longer to pick but he was soon out in the empty corridor.

There were too many cells for a guard to be at each one, chances were there were just guards at the entrance to the dungeon, the Orricks relied mainly on chains and locks to keep prisoners secure.

His bare feet made no noise as he walked the corridors ears on the alert for any noise, besides the screams. It didn't take him long to find the source.

The door wasn't locked, Balthazar opened it a crack trying to see how many he's have to fight. When he saw the boy been tortured his eyes narrowed into slits, and his blood boiled.

There were two people besides the boy, both were guards. Balthazar opened the door with a flourish, both men turned, surprised at the sight of the intruder.

Balthazar took advantage and charged the nearest guard, he tucked his arm in and struck the side of his opponent's head, with his right forearm counting on the cast for protection, and to help inflict more damage. Knowing that if he used his left fist for the job, he'd probably break it.

With the first guard dealt with Balthazar moved onto the second who had, during the two seconds it had taken Balthazar to take out his friend, managed to recover from the shock. He swung at Balthazar, who ducked and with his left hand aimed a blow at his opponent's chest, right below the sternum.

Balthazar's blow had caused the cartilage below the sternum to be driven into the man's heart. The damage had been lethal, as Balthazar had known it would be.

The man fell.

The boy cried out again. Balthazar didn't blame him.

Hooks and been cut into his flesh, there were a couple on his arms and legs, placed just under the bone to suspend him in the air, there were numerous others placed randomly throughout his body some had been ripped out when the guards had pulled the attached chains to tight.

Balthazar moved to lower the boy, once he was on the floor Balthazar knelt beside him and only now that the guards were out and the boy was down did Balthazar take in the kid's appearance.

He was about sixteen maybe eighteen, light brown hair, blue eyes, freckles, he looked athletic, not muscular but sinewy. He was wearing nothing but a pair of shorts that Balthazar suspected from their torn state used to be pants.

"What's your name?"

"Robin," rasped the youth.

"Okay Robin," said Balthazar undoing his belt. "I need you to put this in your mouth. We need to remove the hooks but because of the barbs it's going to hurt a lot and I don't have time to be gentle. So you need to bite down on this or there's a chance you're going to bite off your tongue. Do you understand?"

"Yes," he said weakly.

Balthazar started on the smaller hooks embedded in the back first, he removed them quickly, barely even trying to be gentle, they didn't have time for that. Everytime he removed one Robin let out a muffled cry of pain, but he stayed still, he didn't flounder or lash out in his pain, an accomplishment that impressed Balthazar greatly. When it came time to remove the ones near his bones however Balthazar knew another approach was needed. There was a chance he would nick an artery if he wasn't careful and they didn't have time for that. He grabbed one of the guard's swords and tried to cut the chain attached to the hook. There were two problem hooks in each limb, Balthazar managed to cut four chains before the blade became too damaged. Fortunately there was another sword. Once all chains were cut Balthazar removed the hooks by pulling the chain through the holes, they widened the wound and hurt Robin, but he knew that any veins or arteries they came across they would only move aside, not cut.

"I'm guessing you can't walk."

Robin, to his credit, attempted to force himself up using his arms but the muscles were too badly damaged, and he collapsed.

Balthazar sighed and started undressing the guard whose head he had hit, he wasn't surprised to find the man still alive, the side of the head was a weak point in the human body. It was where three of the plates making up the skull fused and to top it off the was a major artery in the brain right behind it. It was disturbingly easy to kill someone by hitting them there, but the guards wore helmets so the man had been saved. Unfortunately.

Balthazar now had a moral dilemma, leave the man alive, and risk him sounding the alarm or kill him to _slightly_ increase their chances of survival. Balthazar shook his head, he couldn't kill a defenceless opponent, no matter how much he wished to. This time tough he was more tempted then he had been in centuries, what the man had been doing to Robin…

He worked quickly and within a few minutes both he and Robin were dressed as guards.

"If anyone tries to talk to you," said Balthazar to his new charge as he threw the young man's arm over his shoulder, hosted him up and started dragging him from the cell. "Mumble a lot, as if you're drunk."

"Wha..ermer eroo saa."

Balthazar smiled at the 'whatever you say' in drunk speak. "Good." Thankfully the guard whose uniform Robin was wearing smelled slightly of alcohol that would help a little.

The two started trying to find their way out, they spotted a guard coming towards them but didn't alter their pace or their direction.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Had far too much to drink last night, this morning really, needs a place to rest up."

"He'll need more then that if our Lady finds out he came in like that."

"Maybe I should get him out then, discreetly."

"Good luck with that," chuckled the guard, he was about to walk past them when he saw something that made his eyes widen he looked at Balthazar and Robin with pity.

Balthazar slowly turned his head to look behind him.

Alyne.

Smiling.

Like a cat would to a mouse.

Balthazar turned back to the guard, he used his right elbow to strike the man in the jaw, sending him spiralling to the floor unconscious.

That was one less opponent to worry about.

Carefully so as not to drop Robin he turned his body to face Alyne. "Stay behind me," ordered Balthazar to his charge, gently lowering him into a seating position on the floor.

Alyne rolled her eyes, held out her hand and with a quick jerk Balthazar felt a tug at his back and was thrown against the wall his hands and feet sunk into the stone.

"Such concern for the boy you helped trap you Balthazar Blake," she chuckled coyly.

Balthazar turned his head to glance at the boy, who seemed confused and scared as he returned the sorcerer's gaze.

He turned back to the sorceress, "He knew nothing, you made sure that what was done to him was done within my hearing range knowing I would help him."

"More like _hoping_ you would help him." She corrected as she walked towards her prey. "Wasn't sure you were dumb enough to. Do you think me a simpleton? I know young Dave wants to get you and himself out. I needed an excuse to torture you so as not to go back on our deal, which was, as I am sure you recall, that no harm will come to you so long as Dave cooperates and you behave." She brought her hand to her chin as she smirked and looked down at the boy Balthazar had tried to help. "This counts as misbehaving, so I get to torture you and Dave postpones the escape plans." She moved her hand from her chin to Balthazar's, looking him directly in the eye "And after I'm done with you, your precious apprentice will be sufficiently cowed into not trying anything again for a long while."

"You could have just waited until Dave and I actually did try and escape. There was no need to drag the kid in."

"First of all by our laws he is no child, he shot and killed one of my deer—"

"Every deer is yours," rasped the youth, before the women could continue. "You leave nothing for us, my mother needed the meat, she is with chi—"

He stopped suddenly under her glare.

"Whatever his crime, he's suffered," said Balthazar "Return him to his home."

"Suffered maybe, but somehow I doubt he's learned his lesson from what he just said."

"He thinks the law unfair, that doesn't mean he'll break it again, he's learned, haven't you?" said Balthazar turning his head.

"I have," replied the youth, head bowed.

Balthazar turned back to his opponent, "You'll return him to his home? Alive and whole?"

"Well I was planning to cut off a hand… What would you offer me in return for this poacher's hand Balthazar?"

"I have nothing to offer," hissed the master sorcerer.

"Oh but I think you do. You're over fifteen hundred years of age, you've travelled the world. I'm sure you know where there are magical items that would be of value to my family."

He glanced at Robin again, "You'll let him go unharmed? Heal him?"

"Depends on the offer," she replied curtly.

"Mirror of Isridal."

Alyne smiled the Mirror of Isridalwas powerful but limited, it could be used to see anything, any event in the present or past at any location whether it be a few feet away or millions of light years away. But it worked by slowly taking in the magical energy around it. It took about a hundred years of charging to get one minute of use out of the thing. A sorcerer could not charge it with their own power, it just didn't work. He had searched for and found it years ago during his quest but it hadn't worked when he asked it to show him the Prime Merlilian. Likely due to the fact that Dave hadn't been born yet.

"You hid it?" she asked.

"Yes."

"How long ago?"

"Seven hundred years."

Alyne smiled, she walked to the guard, couched down and held her hand over his head, it glowed white and the guard moaned and his eyes fluttered open, he quickly stood up, as did Alyne, and he saluted her.

"My lady."

"Take this boy to the healers, they are to do all they can for him, then arrange for transportation to his home."

"As you wish," he said with a bow.

"Hold on a moment," she said holding up her hand, she walked over to Robin couched down again and held out her hand, it glowed a whitish blue. Robin blinked a few times and his eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Pain killer spell," she told him. She stood and turned to the guard, "You can take him now."

Carefully the guard picked up Robin cradling the youth in his arms. Once the two were away she turned to Balthazar.

"Now what to do with you?"

oo0oo

Balthazar, bit back a cry of pain as Alyne pulled one of the chains taught, which in turn pulled at the hook imbedded in his flesh. Balthazar was in much the same position he had found Robin in the only difference being that the master sorcerer had even more hooks embedded in his flesh.

"You have an impressive tolerance for pain Blake," commented Alyne airily. "Wonder if I should bring Dave in now?"

Balthazar, ignored the women focusing instead on his breathing, it helped distract him form the pain.

Dave sat in his cell board out of his skull, today had been boring all the Orricks had needed from him was a swab they had rubbed inside his mouth for DNA. He was feeling a lot better, still weaker then usual, but getting better, he figured he and Balthazar might even try to escape tonight, since his master hadn't been tortured today, he might be feeling well enough to attempt an escape he had been told this morning when they came in for DNA that Balthazar injuries had been treated, he had also been told that tomorrow would be very draining so tonight might be a good night to make a break for it.

He jumped when he heard his cell door open and Alyne stepped in.

"I take it you would like to see your master?"

"Yeah," said Dave standing up. He frowned when he saw a guard enter with a wheel chair, his frown deepened when he noticed the restraints, leather straps that would keep his wrist and ankles bound.

"Umm I can walk."

"Thus the restraints. Sit down Dave," she ordered gesturing to the chair, her voice had a hard edge to it.

Dave hesitated but walked to the chair and sat down the guard dealt with the restraints. The trip down to Balthazar's cell was quiet, but as reached the floor where Balthazar was being kept Alyne spoke.

"Balthazar tried to escape, he overheard my people dealing with a thief and… interfered. And I'm sure you remember the deal."

"The deal was I cooperate, let you experiment on me and you, you leave Balthazar alone."

"The deal also included Balthazar behaving himself, one of my men was killed during his impromptu rescue."

"So you tortured him again?" hissed Dave straining against his restraints.

"Tortured? Past tense? We still haven't finished."

Dave gripped the arms of his chair knuckles turning white. They stopped at a cell door, Dave tried to mentally prepare himself for what he was about to see.

It didn't work.

There was his master eyes closed grimacing in pain suspended in the air with chains hooked into his flesh, his bandages were gone his blood dripped to the floor. Dave tried to jump out of his chair, he thrashed against the restraints and called out to his master.

"Balthazar! Balthazar! Say something!"

No sound came. Dave gripped the arms of his chair as he leaned forward to get a better look at his master. Judging by his expression, Balthazar was trying very hard to remain silent.

Dave took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them again all he saw were the molecules in the chains holding his master up. He unclenched his hands from the chair's arms and stretched out his fingers as soon as he did the chains evaporated. The metal had turned to oxygen.

Dave caught his master before he hit the floor with magic and gently lowered him. He had just started to relax a bit when a hand shot out and gripped his throat. Dave struggled but Alyne had a firm grip on the arteries in his neck, soon his oxygen starved brain lost consciousness he lowered his gaze to his master as the world started going dark. There was so much blood. _'Please be okay.'_

Balthazar, turned his head slightly and stared at the feet kick and struggle against the restraints. The master sorcerer tried to get up as the guard started rolling his charge out the door but soon gave up. He altered his gaze from the door as a soothing sensation spread through his right arm. He saw a feminine hand glow a pale blue as it healed the wounds on his arm. Briefly he wondered why Alyne was healing him. Was she worried about blood loss? Did she want to heal him just so she could torture him more without killing him? Was she done with him for now?

He doubted it was the last.

She saw him looking at her and smiled as she held her hand to his face, Balthazar felt himself becoming tired and his eye lids heavy.

AN- Yeah sorry that took so long guys just didn't seem to be much interest and I just didn't have any drive for it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Forgiveness**

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><p><strong>Okay explanations... Having personal problems and I just haven't had the drive to write and there didn't seem to be much interest in this fic, and I hate to seem like one of those I'm not updating unless I get more reviews, but I just don't feel motivated I put a lot of time into the fics I write and it's discouraging.<strong>

**Also I sent it to my Beta a week ago but she still hasn't gotten back to me so I'm sorry about all the grammatical errors I do have this fic written out till chap 12 I'll update every tues until I get to that point. So if anyone wants to beta PM me.**

**I'd really like to have someone go over the grammar in the chaps before I post so any volunteers?**

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><p><strong>Chapter V<strong>

**May 20**

Balthazar awoke to a pain in his wrist and shoulders, entire arms really but mostly the wrists.

He opened his eyes and assess the situation, he was hanging by his wrists in a large cell about a foot off the ground. The lacerations in his arms and legs had been healed, but not the ones on his back. Still he was a great deal more comfortable now then he had been when Dave came to see him.

"Feeling better?" asked Alyne.

Balthazar's gaze travelled to his right where her voice had come from.

"I'm sure it won't last. How's Dave?"

"Don't worry about him," said Alyne dryly as she tossed a small golden object in the air. Balthazar squinted his eyes to figure out what it was, a ring. His eyes widened as he realised he didn't feel that familiar pressure on his left ring finger.

He glared at the women, trying to set her on fire even without his ring, bad enough they took his focus and half his clothes. She had to take his bloody _wedding band_?

Alyne ignored his glare and continued to toss the golden circle. "Hey how long do you think it'll before your wife comes looking for you and ends up here?"

Balthazar struggled against the shackles which cut into his skin, causing some blood to fall on his hair and face.

"Careful Blake. I don't want you to injure yourself." She pocketed his ring.

"Is Dave okay?" asked Balthazar, thinking it best not to worry about a situation that hadn't yet happened, he needed to stay focused on current problems. If he solved those he wouldn't have to worry about Veronica.

"Dave is fine, I only held on long enough for him to lose consciousness. Now, let's focus on what I have in store for you." She said pointing at him. "I've got an assistant this time, those wounds on your back will be cauterized shouldn't be too bad for you, you held up remarkably well in the square."

She nodded to someone behind Balthazar something about the nod felt off, but he was in too much pain to concentrate. He tried to move his head to see but gave up almost instantly. It hurt to much he was nearing his limit. He needed to stop worrying about what felt off about the nod, and focus on the techniques he had learned centuries ago to master pain. He inhaled sharply and tensed when he felt the heat on his back, felt the skin melt, but he was pleased he had suppressed any sign of pain.

After five repetitions there was a pause. Alyne looked at her assistant patiently, after a few moments her eyes narrowed and she barked. "Well finish the job."

Silence.

Balthazar tried to figure out what was wrong with her gaze, he knew it was important.

"Hurry up Hudson or you'll be the one punished."

'_Hudson? Maggie's son. That's what was wrong with her gaze, it was too low.' _"You're making kids torture prisoners?"

"It's part of the job description, they need to learn early on how harsh life is it will help them survive their ten year trial."

"Hudson?" said Balthazar.

"Yeah," replied a shaky voice.

"She's right, I'm fine, you just do what you have to."

"I don't want to."

"Will she hurt you if you don't?"

Silence.

"I'd rather you cauterize the wounds Hudson. It will help, it hurts, but it does help heal."

"… No."

Balthazar heard the clanking of metal on stone as the hot poker that Hudson had been using was thrown to the floor.

He craned his head to look at the boy, ignoring the sudden bust of pain that resulted. Hudson was behind the master sorcerer and just off to the right.

"Get behind me!" barked Balthazar as Alyne advanced to get a clear shot at the ten year old, who moved behind the master sorcerer.

As Alyne approached Balthazar's legs shot out wrapped around her knees, he gave a quick jerk causing her to fall.

"Back off," he hissed.

Alyne smiled, and held up her hand.

The next six seconds were a blur a literal blur everything was fuzzy and Balthazar didn't think it was a vision problem. Alyne disappeared and the master sorcerer thought he heard cries but they ended as soon as they started. It took a couple of seconds to realise he was under a temporal displacement spell. And that the cries likely belonged to Hudson.

He struggled trying to break free, after a few more seconds the spell ended.

"Hudson!" He looked around twisting in the shackles. "Hudson!"

"…Here." Squeaked a voice

Balthazar turned and craned his neck but he couldn't see the source of the voice.

"You alright? Any broken bones?"

"No, she just threw me against the wall, and did that thing, the pain spell, I'm fine."

"Can you move to where I can see you?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I'm chained to the wall." Balthazar heard the clanking of chains for emphasis.

"…I met your mom, and sister." Balthazar said quietly hoping the topic of family would help the boy.

"They okay?"

"They miss you, Isabel especially wants her big brother back."

"No way she remembers," replied Hudson his voice cracking slightly.

"She knows something important is missing, she was very brave, she warned me and Dave what would happen if we got caught, even though it was against the rules.

"She takes after mom."

"Yeah I notice they both do that stomping foot thing with their hands on their hips when they're mad.

"Dad always said that when mom does that I should nod and look at the floor and pretend to be ashamed even if I'm not. Isabel's doing it to?"

"Yep."

"My girlfriend does this head tilting thing when she's mad."

"Aren't you a little young for a girlfriend?"

"No."

"Okay then," replied the master sorcerer with a slight nod. "So… she pretty?"

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"What did you do to him," hissed Dave before the door even finished opening.

Alyne didn't answer, just closed the door behind her and closing the distance between them handed him a folder. Dave took it and looked through the contents, he frowned at the pictures inside, Balthazar with a ten year old girl, the picture was old, fuzzy, black and white, looked to be over a hundred. There was a form inside, for the adoption of a Penelope White to Balthazar Blake, dated 1897.

"Your master has taken in several foster children over the years, usually he wouldn't go through legal loops, just claim the child as his own or that he was the child's uncle or guardian. That one is one of the few he legally adopted."

"What's your point?" asked Dave not really caring about the answer, his mind was too busy wondering how many children his master had been forced to bury over the years.

"You're just one of many kids he's taken under his wing, he abandoned them, he'll abandon you."

"Balthazar wouldn't abandon anyone, not me, not his kids."

Alyne snapped her fingers, two guards entered each carrying large boxes. "Incantuses only give away so much," she told him pleasantly. "My family has detailed research on just about every single sorcerer in the past several hundred years, and considering how long Balthazar has been around…" she waved to the boxes been placed on the floor.

"At any rate," she walked over to a box and took out another file.

"These files aren't on Balthazar so much as on his kids. Let's see Sarah Blake born Sarah Anderson, 1775. Adopted at age thirteen, died age seventy five, from a bad case of influenza, which by the way, is a disease Balthazar is fully capable of healing. But he didn't. Her death certificate is in the file if you don't believe me." She told him, closing the folder and handing it to him.

Dave took it and glanced inside, flipping through the papers until he spotted the death certificate. Cause of death was listed as influenza.

"You okay Dave? You're looking a little white. And green."

"I'm fine."

"If you say so."

"You take this kind of interest in every sorcerer?"

"Just the powerful ones. We have one on Horvath that's just as big. Nothing on Veronica Hunt though. For obvious reasons.

"Our count says he took in about six children as his own in the past seven hundred years, and that's not counting students he eventually passed off to other sorcerers. He passed off quite a number, took em in for a few years, they made themselves useful but eventually he just handed them off. Like he'll do to you. I mean Morgana's beaten now, he has Veronica what does he need you around for?"

"I'm his apprentice."

"You're a tool he no longer has a use for. Did he even tell you what he wanted from you when you signed on? Or did he wait till after it was too late to go back?" She smiled at his expression. "He did didn't he? He gave you only information that made been a sorcerer fun and unique, made sure you felt it made you special. He told you about the danger, about fighting evil sorcerers. But he never told you the full extent of it, he never told you that you were going to fight and kill Morgana, never told you that the fate of the world was on your shoulders because he knew that would hold you back and **he **didn't want that. He didn't care about you making an informed decision all he cared about was you making the one that was right for him."

"That's enough!" shouted Dave. "I know what he did, I don't care! I would have done the same thing."

Alyne's eyes widened briefly in surprise then narrowed into a glare. "No need to shout Dave, it makes me wonder who you're trying to convince."

"Get out, unless you need me for your next experiment, get out."

The women's eye's narrowed at the tone used to address her and she practically hissed her reply, as she started walking to the door. "He'll abandon you Dave," she told him hand resting on the cell door handle "Just like all the others."

"Take your files," ordered Dave focusing on the picture in his hand.

"Sure you don't want to read them?"

"Yes I'm sure."

"You're gripping that picture of him and Pepper pretty tight."

"I'll give it to Balthazar. If he's still alive."

"He's alive, don't worry."

"Forgive me if I don't take your word on it." The door closed and Dave let out the breath he had been holding. He knew he and Balthazar had to leave tonight. Badly injured master sorcerer or no, Dave knew they would never allow Balthazar to recover to the point where he could stand a chance of escaping. Dave needed to find his ring get it to him and hope that between them, they could patch up Balthazar enough.

The apprentice sat on his bed and tried to think. His cell was in a tower if he tried to pass through the walls he'd fall to his doom. Only way out was the door and that was enchanted to set off an alarm should he try to pass through it and give him a nasty shock.

He smiled, he remembered what Balthazar had told him about wanting to disappear really quick, either go up or down. He looked at the floor, had they thought to alarm that? One way to find out. He knelt down on the floor and poked his hand through. No alarm, no magical energy forced him back. He withdrew his hand, bent forward and pushed his head through the floor until he felt air on his face and opened his eyes.

A bedroom, not exactly what he had expected to see. Whose room was this? There was a four poster bed with drapes, Dave wondered if the canopy could hold his weight, it was a fair distance to the ground. There was a vanity mirror with a jewellery box, and make up, so he figured he had to be in a women's room.

He almost pulled his head up when he heard the door open, and in walked Alyne. Dave couldn't believe his room was just above her's, his shock however soon turned to joy when he realised that her room was the most likely place to have his master's ring. He had dealt with enough bullies to know they liked trophies and the focus ring of one of the most powerful sorcerers of the past several ages would certainly qualify as a trophy.

Alyne stood in front of her mirror looking over herself with a critical eye, before walking over to her closet and shifting through its contents. She selected a green dress and began removing her current one.

Dave pulled himself up. Deciding he would check in again in a few minutes. When he did so Alyne was trying on another dress this one a light blue. He pulled up again but not before he saw several scars along her back as if she had been whipped. He decided to return to his bed and check back in twenty hopefully Alyne would be done by then. Been an only child and well, him, he didn't have a lot of experience with girls, but it couldn't take Alyne that long, right?

An hour later, Dave poked his head in again to see Alyne putting on make up, she gave herself another critical look in the mirror and smiling left the room. Finally.

Dave pulled his head up and went over to the section of floor directly over Alyne's bed, he let himself fall through onto the canopy, and then using his elbows and knees shuffled himself over to the edge, he swung himself over and grabbed the drapes, making a note to thank his highschool gym teacher if he ever saw him again, which he doubted, man was a sadist, he climbed down.

Now safely on the floor of the room, Dave listened for any sign that someone was about to enter noting that under the bed was his best option if he needed to hide real quick, or maybe the closet. He heard nothing however and made his way to Alyne's vanity and started rooting through her jewellery box.

"Come on come on, it's gotta be here somewhere…" after a few minutes he gave up looking in the box and started ransacking her drawers. The first two revealed nothing, after an exasperated sigh Dave noticed something on top of the drawers next to the mirror a gold ring, what was odd was that it was too large for Alyne, frowning Dave plucked it from it's place and looked it over, he noticed the engraving inside, _éce_. Dave clenched his hands before pocketing the ring, if it was here the focus couldn't be far away there were still another two drawers.

The next drawer wielded the needed result. "Finally," said Dave breathing a sigh of relief. Things would go much easier if both sorcerers were capable of performing magic.

Now all he had to do was get to the dungeons unseen, find Balthazar and get out. Dave closed his eyes and focused on his clothes casting a similar illusion to the one Balthazar had back in chinatown, he even gave himself some facial hair, though, instead of a moustache he went with a van dyke, he also lightened his hair color and gave himself blue eyes. He checked himself over in the mirror and satisfied, went to the door after first listening to make sure no one was outside. He took a deep breath to steady himself and walked out.

It didn't take long for him to find a familiar stairwell he could find his way to the dungeons easily. He had memorized the route earlier. Although he was pretty sure they would have moved the master sorcerer to another cell by now. Hopefully it wouldn't take him to long.

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"Balthazar?"

The master sorcerer moaned slightly as the quiet voice persisted in dragging him from Morpheus's comforting embrace.

"Balthazar, come on buddy we gotta go, like now."

The older man opened his eyes with a groan, surprised to find he was lying down on the floor he didn't remember been lowered.

"Where's Hudson?"

"Hudson? Maggie's son?" asked Dave while he ensorcelled the locks of the shackles open "Balthazar, we're the only people here, and we gotta go, how are your legs? Can you walk?"

"Yeah they patched those up. Worried about blood loss."

"Don't suppose they gave you a transfusion," said Dave as he gently placed his master's arm over his shoulder and lifted him to his feet. "You lost a lot."

"No they didn't. How'd you get out?"

"Had a good teacher, and their security wasn't all that great, I think they figured I wouldn't chance anything while they had you." Dave forced a pained smile "The guards weren't sorcerers."

"Pity for you, we are."

Dave and Balthazar turned to see Alyne with three others, two men and one woman.

Alyne sent a concussion wave, which Dave blocked with a shield. Alyne walked towards them as her lackeys surrounded the pair.

"Come quietly Dave."

Dave, glared at her, sending more power to his shield. "Don't suppose you have an idea?" he asked his master.

"Give me a minute," said Balthazar trying to size up their opponents.

"We're not magicless like the guards you killed in your escape Dave. You can't win against four opponents in close quarters like this."

Dave stared coolly at her, his face granite.

Alyne rolled her eyes. "Now," she commanded.

Four plasma blots hit the shield at once, Dave stumbled at the sudden impact but the shield held.

Then another four hit. Still the shield held.

"On my mark lose the shield, drop to the ground and aim at Alyne's legs, once she's down run."

"Can't do that and drag you along…" his eyes narrowed as he realised what his master was asking "No Baltha— argh." Dave bend over as his shield took another four blows.

"Now Dave!" shouted Balthazar when he saw the group charging another set of blasts.

Dave lowered his shield as he and Balthazar dropped, he blasted Alyne's legs, well he tried to, the woman jumped, evading the blast as soon as she landed she shot another plasma bolt towards the duo. Balthazar moved to cover Dave, the bolt hit his arm.

"Balthazar!" Dave stopped focussing on their enemies and tried to examine his master.

"Run!" shouted Balthazar, he had just enough time to see fear and sadness cross his apprentice's face before the younger man was sent flying towards the wall.

"Dave!"

Dave readied a couple plasma bolts but was hit with two. He clutched his side and crumpled.

"Handle him," Alyne ordered the two men, who nodded and darted to Balthazar, grabbing his arms and twisting them behind his back. The master sorcerer thrashed and hissed in pain at the pressure on his wounded arm. When they got him under control he was facing Alyne and Dave, who was grimacing in pain, as he clutched his stomach where he had been hit.

"You know Dave," said Alyne pleasantly. "I'm starting to think our experiments can be done with a corpse."

"Leave him alone!" shouted Balthazar.

Alyne turned to him and smiled, Balthazar noticed her hand glow red. She knelt down and placed her hand on Dave's chest.

Dave slammed his head against the wall when he threw it back as he screamed in agony. He started thrashing, Alyne stopped casting she grabbed his shirt and pulled him forward the guards holding him let go and he fell onto the floor, she placed her knee on his back and her left hand on his head she brought her right hand to his shoulder, and cast the spell again.

"Stop!" Balthazar struggled to be heard over the cries of his apprentice. But she didn't, Dave continued to scream and cry and thrash.

Balthazar pleaded for her to stop. "Stop! I'll talk to him he won't try this again! Just stop! I'll do whatever you want, I'll make him do whatever you want! Stop!"

Alyne only smiled at the old man's pleas. All the while Dave continued to thrash and scream.

"Balthazar help!" shouted Dave desperate for the pain to stop. Alyne lifted her hand away from the young man's back and turned to the master sorcerer.

"Balthazar... your apprentice just begged you to help him, isn't this the part where you do something impressive?"

Balthazar renewed his struggles against the guards holding him, but to no avail. Alyne smirked and turned back to Dave who was still gasping for breath. "No point in asking Balthy for help boy, he's as helpless as you." Her hand burned with red light as she pressed it to Dave's back and the youth cried out as pain ripped through him.

Despite Balthazar's efforts he couldn't break from the guards holding him. He continued to watch on as Dave thrashed and flayed as he attempted to escape Alyne's grasp, each cry piercing the master sorcerer's heart and twisting it like a knife. Eventually Dave… just stopped.

Alyne moved her fingers to his neck, then glanced at her watch. "Time of death, 9:23, hmm he survived fifteen minutes of my little pain spell, that's a new record."

Balthazar said nothing he was just staring at his apprentice's body willing it to move to, make a sound.

"Let him go," ordered Alyne.

Balthazar darted to his apprentice gently he rolled Dave onto his back, even now the apprentice's face was contorted in agony.

"Dave?" Balthazar pinched Dave's nose and tilted his head back, he bought his mouth to Dave's and exhaled, he did it again then placed his hands on his student's chest over the heart and pushed down.

"One, and two and three and four and five, one and two and three and four and ten one and two and three and four and fifteen." He counted, then moved to give Dave a few breaths. He repeated the procedure again and again, but still there was nothing.

"Dave? Come on, still lots to learn," he continued to compress the younger man's chest. "Come on!"

He stopped cpr, and cradled his protégée. "Dave…"

"Well that's enough of that," said Alyne crisply. "Time to wake up Blake."

Balthazar opened his eyes, he was lying on his back, Alyne's forehead was pressed against his.

"Don't worry Blake, just a dream weave." She raised her head and smirked down at him. "Dave's fine." She placed her chin on his shoulder which he was quick to note, for some reason didn't hurt, he wondered if he had enough mobility to punch Alyne's face in.

"I cast a pain killer spell, you still can't move it not after all that hang time," she told him noticing that he was looking at his shoulder. His gaze shifted to where Hudson had been. "As for Hudson, I sent him to his room."

"Nice weave," commented Balthazar. "You're very good, if you're done, I'd appreciate been alone."

"Not done, in the dream I told you Dave killed a few guards in his escape. That didn't seem to surprise you. I bet it would have once. Has the great Balthazar Blake gone and corrupted another young soul?"

"Get off me."

"You know I think next time I'll try and conjure a dream with your wife in it. Kill her in front of you just like Dave. I may eventually do that in reality."

Balthazar tried to move but his body wouldn't obey the command, so much for breaking Alyne's nose. He settled for one of his death glares. "Don't touch her."

"Hmmm you know, she's powerful, but she didn't come with you."

"Thought I'd make this trip a guy thing."

"Doubt it, she would have been freed a short time ago, and you're… you're big on kids. Is she pregnant? Cause if she is and she comes here… well you know what we do with children who are sorcerers, and no doubt yours would be powerful."

"I'm going to kill you."

"Threats don't make for great pillow talk dear."

Balthazar inhaled deeply, and tried to steady himself. She was trying to rile him and he was tired of it. He hoped that if he stopped rising to the bait she's leave him alone.

"Nothing to say?" she paused and shifted so her face was above his. "You know, I bet before he met you, Dave wouldn't have thought himself capable of killing anyone. But with you as his guide he rose to that particular challenge. How did you do it? I wouldn't have thought manipulation was your thing." She smiled when he didn't respond. "Remember what you said in the dream? About making Dave do whatever I want? Do you really think you could do that? Bet you could. I bet you know just what buttons to push. With your help I could have him working with my family.

"Dave would make a wonderful addition. I'm sure you could help convince him."

Balthazar turned his gaze from the ceiling to the women. "Dave would never join you, nothing you or I say or do will convince him."

"Guess I'll just have to torture him to death. What can I say, I don't handle rejection well though you're familiar with that concept aren't you?"

She smirked when Balthazar didn't reply, then continued. "I really don't think I can convince Dave to join up unless I can get him to turn against you, I've already taken a few steps toward that goal but I'll need your help. You have about two months to change his mind, we should be done with our experiments by then, and if he hasn't been convinced…" She shrugged before continuing. "At anyrate, you, apparently need some convincing, to that end I have a gift for you." She held out a hand and lightly swung a silver chain with a matching silver dream catcher. "I spent the better part of my day making this for you, I weaved exactly one hundred nightmares into the silver thread. They'll show you exactly what I'll do to Dave if he refuses. So maybe it'll motivate you to persuade the boy to join my family. Each dream will feel like twenty minutes to half an hour, and because time get's all wonky with dreams each one will take four to eight minutes in the real world to occur, so it'll still take awhile to view them all but I think a few nights worth should be all it takes."

Smiling, she placed the necklace over Balthazar's head so the dream catcher rested on his chest.

"Now you know how dreams are, it's very hard to tell you're dreaming once you're inside them, even if they make no sense. Now you been you, you'll probably be able to tell occasionally that you're dreaming, which is a pity, but I'm sure it won't help you all that much. And with enchanted dreams you can even feel pain, no pinching to wake yourself up. Pleasant dreams Balthazar," she chuckled placing her hand over his head she cast a sleep spell.

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><p><strong>Okay explanations... Having personal problems and I just haven't had the drive to write and there didn't seem to be much interest in this fic, and I hate to seem like one of those I'm not updating unless I get more reviews, but I just don't feel motivated I put a lot of time into the fics I write and it's discouraging.<strong>

**Also I sent it to my Beta a week ago but she still hasn't gotten back to me so I'm sorry about all the grammatical errors I do have this fic written out till chap 12 I'll update every tues until I get to that point. So if anyone wants to beta PM me.**

**I'd really like to have someone go over the grammar in the chaps before I post so any volunteers?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Forgiveness**

**Summary: A tour bus disappears in an isolated part of England's country side where many people have vanished before. Balthazar goes to investigate, and since Dave is on spring break he gets to come along. Oh joy.**

**Disclaimer: All Publicly Recognizable Characters, Settings, Ideas, etc. are the Property of Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions. The Original Characters and Plot are the Property of the Author. The Author is in no way Associated with the Owners, Creators, or Producers of Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions. No Copyright Infringement is intended.**

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><p><strong>Chapter VI<strong>

**May 21**

"Balthazar?" whispered Dave as he poked his head into the sixteenth cell so far. He saw a form lying on the ground hands bound over his head. He approached to investigate and broke out into a smile when he realised it was his master. Letting his disguise fall he darted over to the older man.

He quickly took in what he could of his master's appearance which in the darkened cell wasn't much. He could see dry and crusted blood, but what had his attention was the shackles binding the older man's wrist above his head.

"Balthazar!" he called gently shaking his master "Balthazar, come on buddy we gotta go." Balthazar started to stir and Dave moved to magic open the shackled binding his wrists. Gently he lifted one of his master's arms and brought it to the older man's side. Balthazar inhaled sharply as the movement sent a spasm of pain up his arm.

"Sorry, you okay?"

"Not again," said Balthazar weakly, Dave was alarmed at the desperation in his master's voice "I can't do this again."

Dave frowned at the reply, he didn't understand it but his master had just begged for mercy that fact alone was enough to boil Dave's blood and chill his bones. He didn't understand why his master wasn't happy to see him, maybe he didn't recognize his apprentice? "Balthazar it's Dave. Sorry about this, but we have to go, how are your legs? Can you walk?"

"We're not going any— argh!" Dave had just moved the other arm. "Where," finished Balthazar with a slight hiss.

"What are you talking about? You're not Alyne in disguise again are you?" asked Dave readying a plasma bolt.

"You're not Dave this is just another nightmare. Ow." Balthazar turned to his apprentice, with an accusatory look. "You pinched me."

"And now you know you're not 's go," suggested Dave as he helped Balthazar into a sitting position. "Hold on, your shoulders are dislocated give me a minute and try not to yell." Dave took off his sweater and rolled it up, he placed the bundle under his master's armpit. "Okay ready?" asked Dave grabbing his master's arm.

"Go ahead. Ar—!"

"Well that's one down," said Dave with false cheer as he positioned himself to set the other arm. "Okay one more time. Ready?"

Balthazar nodded, this time he managed to keep quiet.

"Are they back in place?" asked Dave worried that he had messed up somehow.

Balthazar nodded, "They're back in their sockets, Dave, thanks."

Dave nodded and started digging in his pockets. "Okay now that that's taken care of, I got you a couple presents," he withdrew his hand and held out the two rings.

Balthazar's eye's widened and a smile started tugging at the corners of his mouth. This nightmare was starting out better then the previous ones, maybe it was real? He shook his head slightly. Alyne had probably made this one up to give him false hope, any minute now she and her cronies would come in and kill Dave, again. Still he could try and enjoy the ride. He tried to raise his hand to accept the offering but his arm wouldn't obey him. Dave smiled encouragingly and moved to place the focus on his master's right index finger and the wedding band on the left ring finger.

"There. Okay, let me see what I can do about your arms," Balthazar raised an eyebrow. Dave had been practising healing but he wasn't that good at it, wasn't that bad either. The apprentice noticed his master's expression

"I should be able to make it so that you can at least move them." Dave started on Balthazar's right arm, the master allowed himself to relax and tried to enjoy the soothing feeling he was getting from the healing. But he still expected Alyne to come through the door any second and kill them, and that dampened the mood considerably.

"How's that?" asked Dave.

Balthazar lifted his arm, clenched his fist and smiled, "Good job."

"Must you sound so surprised? I patched up your wrist too, not too well but we're short on time. Give me a minute and I'll heal the other." Dave got up and went to Balthazar's left side, kneeling down he began his work. "So how are your legs?"

"They're fine, Alyne's people patched them up. I think they were worried I'd bleed to death otherwise."

"How thoughtful," said Dave glancing up, momentarily "what's with the dreamcatcher?"

Balthazar reached up and grabbed the pendant, he magicked it off. He grinned slightly as he levitated it a few inches above his palm it felt good to us his magic again. He gazed at the thing ignoring his apprentice's stare.

"It's nothing you need to concern yourself with," replied Balthazar flatly. The silver began to glow orange as it melted. Balthazar gazed at the molten silver, before directing it to the nearest wall.

Dave glanced up but didn't pause in his healing. "Help me up," Balthazar ordered a few moment's later when Dave was done patching up his wrist. Despite the healing he was still rather weak. Dave moved to help his master to his feet, placing the older man's arm over his shoulder. He couldn't believe how light the man was, even in the darkened cell Dave could tell Balthazar had lost a great deal of weight. He turned his attention to the cell door, he'd worry about that later. He recast his disguise spell, he darkened Balthazar's hair and skin and turned his eyes brown. He also gave him a guard's uniform.

"Okay, I know how to get out of the dungeon, but after that… I don't think the way I got in will work again,"

"We're not leaving the dungeon."

"Umm what?"

"Dave, do you think they'll look for us here, in the dungeon?"

"No…"

"Then it's a good place to hide, we'll find another cell, set up a snap shot wall and hide until we've recovered more, and have a plan."

"A plan would be good," said Dave.

The two wondered around the dungeon for a good fifteen minutes with Balthazar shooting down every cell Dave suggested, until the older sorcerer pointed out a cell door.

"That one," said Balthazar.

"Why that one?"

"Because off all the dust on the door, it hasn't been used in awhile so we shouldn't have to worry about the Orricks tossing another poor soul inside with us."

"Okay, in we go," said Dave. He was about to open the cell door when Balthazar stopped him.

"Walk us through the door, we don't want to disturb the dust, might give us away."

"Okay," replied Dave doing as instructed.

"I think we'll be okay if we take up half the cell," said Balthazar he removed his arm from Dave's shoulder and he started setting up a snapshot wall. A few moments later he nodded in satisfaction, and smiling at Dave walked to the other side, disappearing as soon as he past the entered the enclosed area. Dave followed suit.

He found his master, sitting on the floor with his knees bent and back against the wall. Dave held up his hand and magicked up a ball of light after setting it so it floated in the air a couple of feet above his head he turned to his master.

"Balthazar it was pretty dark in the cell, so I couldn't see much, but… you didn't say anything about them patching up your back, I saw a lot of… hooks there and then there's what they did you before and after."

"I'm fine Dave."

"And you'll be even better if you let me patch up you back. Come on Balthazar, it's probably already infected."

Sighing Balthazar shifted his weight and turned around so his apprentice could see his back.

"Oh man... Balthazar…" said Dave kneeling. "It's all my fault."

Balthazar rolled his eyes towards the ceiling. _This_was why he hadn't wanted Dave to look at his wounds.

Balthazar's back was matted in dried blood and dirt, the bit of skin Dave could see was either blistering, and raw and even black in some places where he had been burned. The cuts from the lashes he had received hadn't completely healed, and had begin to fester as had the wounds from the hooks and the burns.

"This isn't your fault Dave, just focus on trying to heal what you can. Might want to start with cleaning the wounds."

"Right," said Dave he brought up his hand and started making a circular motion was he gathered up the water in the air, after vibrating the molecules a little so that the water was cool as oppose to cold he started using it to clear away all the dirt, grime and dried blood, he started on the left shoulder and worked his way across and down, slowly. After half an hour he was done. His master looked a lot better for the treatment. He sent the water to the far corner and started gathering up some fresh water from the air. Once again he brought the water to Balthazar's left shoulder, and this time focused on healing the burns and cuts. Water was useful for healing, since most of the human body was made up of water it helped give the duplicating cells building material, and had a soothing effect on the patient. Dave worked as before, he made his way across then down then right then down then left, with painstaking slowness. He spent three hours on the task. When he was finally done he leaned back putting weight on his hands.

Balthazar turned around, he was impressed that Dave had been able to keep up that kind of healing for so long, even Veronica would have been hard pressed for that task, of course she would have been far more efficient able to do as good a job in far less time with less magick, but still Dave's stamina was impressive.

Dave was perspiring from the effort, and his skin was pale, but his eyes were bright, and he was smiling, obviously pleased with his work.

Normally when Dave was this pleased with himself Balthazar would remind him he was an apprentice with a well aimed plasma bolt, or a burst of wind to knock him flat, but now didn't seem the time.

Balthazar rotated his shoulders, and stretched out his legs, he was feeling stiff from sitting down in one position for so long.

"Feels a lot better, thanks Dave. Good work. Now get some sleep I'll keep watch."

"I can take first watch Balthazar."

Balthazar held out his hand so it was centimetres from Dave's face. "Sleep." He ordered.

Dave's eyelids closed and he fell back. Balthazar levitated him before his head hit the stone floor and gently lowered him.

Balthazar stared at his apprentice's sleeping form, he realised after an hour of healing that this wasn't a dream, that Dave had come and gotten him. He was grateful, together they could stop Alyne. Not that gratitude was going to make him ease up on Dave's punishment.

Six hours later Balthazar was struggling to keep his eyes open, finally deciding there was no way he'd be able to give Dave a full eight hours sleep he stretched out his foot and started lightly hitting Dave's outstretched leg.

"Hmm, wha… Balthazar," said Dave his tone laced with annoyance.

The master sorcerer smiled, "Keep watch Dave," he chuckled before rolling onto his side and falling asleep. Dave sighed and propped himself up against the back wall, the next several hours were going to be very boring.

It was a little over eight hours later that Balthazar woke up. His stomach growled as he forced himself up into a seating position.

"Hungry?" asked Dave. "When was the last time you ate?"

"How long have we been here?"

"That long? Geeze."

"I'm fine Dave, how about you?"

"I'm fine, they fed me. Guess we should start thinking up a plan."

"Might be a good idea."

"Balthazar what are we going to do? I mean when we do beat Alyne what's going to happen to Aldercy? Aside from the bus people and a few others who were raised out in the world are they even going to be able to adapt? And won't they tell everyone about sorcerers? I doubt everyone from the bus is going to keep their mouth shut."

"They won't be believed, as for the Aldercy itself, we can leave it, without the Orrick family it should be a pleasant place to live."

"But what if someone goes and brings a camera crew shows them the invisibility shield?"

"Remember what I said about this place been a pocket dimension? Outside it only takes up about an acre, it can be moved. I'll call Charles Bailey when this is over he and I can gather up enough sorcerers to move Aldercy to another location, as for bringing the village into the modern world, it'll take a couple years to set up. We're going to have to find a place big enough before we bring it out of the pocket dimension. Then we'll find investors, buy the land and get building permits."

"Building permits?"

"I was thinking we could set Aldercy up as a sort of theme park, you know a set of real medieval villages, should make for a good tourist attraction. Of course the place can't spring up overnight, so we'll have to pretend to build the place. The time can be spent updating the villagers on the modern world and teaching them to deal with tourist."

"Will Bailey want to do that?"

"We sorcerers are somewhat organized Dave, we have a network of connections Bailey's the central hub. We all keep our ears to the ground and when something comes up we help each other out."

"Does Bailey get paid for that?"

"No, but been the hub comes with power and prestige, that's worth more to him then money. Anyway he won't have much trouble finding civilian investors to help buy the land. When this is over I'll give him a call and he'll gather up enough sorcerers to move Aldercy a few miles east. That way no tattle tale will be able to bring over a camera crew, it'll keep the place hidden until we can find a permanent spot."

Dave nodded, "Sounds good, now all we have to do is figure out a way to end this. Even if we beat Alyne and her sorcerers there's seven more villages, each with their own group. How are we going to beat them all?"

"I'm still working on that."

The next couple of hours passed in silence with Balthazar in deep thought and Dave practicing his magick. Balthazar taught him more healing spells which the youth practiced on his master. Dave also practiced transformation and elemental magick which in the cramped space was difficult but doable since there was water in the air, the walls were made of stone and Dave was perfectly capable of conjuring fire.

"Balthazar."

"Yes?"

"We need food, you've lost like ten pounds."

"I haven't lost that much Dave."

"You need to eat."

"I need to figure out how we're going to beat Alyne and her family."

Dave stood up. "I'm going to find some food."

"Sit down."

"I can do this Balthazar. I escaped and snuck down here, got you out just fine. I can steal some food."

"You escaped when everyone was asleep Dave. Go out now when the place is crawling with people and it will be a different story."

"Then I'll wait."

"To dangerous, I can survive without food, I've done it before for longer periods." His brow furrowed as he stared at his apprentice. "How are you holding up?"

"You're worried about me? I'm not the one they starved and tortured Balthazar."

"I saw you after that first experiment remember?"

"That was nothing compared to what they did to you."

"You're not going, I should feel better by tomorrow we'll go then."

Dave stared at his master slacked jawed and eyes wide. "Are you insane? There's no way you—"

"Dave, sit down and practice your elemental magic."

Dave opened and closed his mouth a few times then closed his eyes and took two deep breaths, realising there was no point to arguing and not wanting to upset his master when his health was in such poor shape the apprentice sat and started gathering water. An hour later he made a twelve inch ice figure of Becky.

Balthazar noticed and chuckled slightly at the sight. Dave saw and shifted the molecules so the figure looked like Veronica. He levitated the thing over to Balthazar.

Balthazar clasped the figure carefully "Nice. Now work with stone. Then meditate."

"Yes Sir," replied Dave with a mock salute.

Balthazar rolled his eyes at the sarcasm, though he was grateful for the small taste of normalcy it gave.

The hours past slowly with Balthazar helping Dave practice his magic and the two taking turns sleeping, Balthazar slept little though. Before he had been too exhausted to dream now however he knew he would. He didn't want Dave to hear him cry out. At least he didn't have to worry about a guard hearing him he had sound proofed the room earlier while Dave had slept.

"Balthazar you need to sleep." Said the apprentice suddenly seeing that hismaster was still awake.

"So you can sneak off and get some food?"

Dave looked at the floor.

"Dave, it's too—"

Balthazar never finished his sentence, he had been looking at his student's face and not Dave's right hand, so he didn't see the ring glow.

Dave had thrown up his hand midway through Balthazar sentence, in an attempt to catch the man off guard. It worked, Balthazar's body slumped as the sleep spell hit him.

Dave sighed and moved to shift Balthazar's sleeping form so the man would be in a more comfortable position. With one last look at his master Dave ran out of the cell casting an invisibility spell on himself before phasing through the walls.

* * *

><p>Dave was starting to hate castles, seriously how hard was it to find a bloody kitchen? Pressed himself against a wall and struggled to slow his breathing which to his ears was loud enough to wake the dead.<p>

The guards however didn't notice him as they walked by. That was the third patrol he'd come across in the last half hour. He shook his head _'Alyne must think we're still in the castle, not surprising considering the number she did on Balthazar… there was no way I could have gotten him out.'_Thought Dave anger at the state his master had been in rising to the surface, he took a deep breath and tried to suppress his anger he needed to focus on the task at hand finding food and getting back to Balthazar.

Balthazar meanwhile was debating the best way to kill his apprentice, have the boy's tesla coils fire at him non stop for hours so Dave could 'practise' his shields? Maybe have the boy stay outside in the rain for with the task of not letting a book get wet with magic only? Manipulating rain was rather difficult took a lot of concentration then there was the cold, Balthazar remembered a similar exercise in his youth. He had had to stand out in the pouring rain for hours making sure a tomb of Merlin's didn't get a single drop of water on it, manipulating all those individual drops as they fell had been a gruelling task. He had been miserable for days from a bloody head cold. Ohhhh he had it hiking through a swamp chasing goblins. Goblins were excellent for practising tracking skills. He knew several who would be more then happy to help train and humiliate the apprentice. He'd have then set up traps, it would do Dave good to learn to keep an eye out for such things, yes… he'd have them set up lots and lot's of traps. Tracking goblins was the perfect punishment. Balthazar's lips curled into a grin that would have those who didn't know him running and those who did buying plane tickets to the other side of the planet.

Balthazar allowed images of a muddy and tired Dave trampling through a swamp looking for goblins and falling victim to their traps, now where was he going to find a swamp? He'd hate to have to settle for using Central Park, maybe he should set up a portal to one take Dave there on a weekend… yes that would work distance wouldn't be a problem, and if he skip training during the week Dave could get all his school work done, freeing up an entire two days. It would also give him time to set up the portal and organize the goblins somewhat, at least make sure they had enough time to set up traps. He wasn't worried about them been deadly goblins knew how far to push and when to back down, they rarely went out of line. They had a surprisingly strong sense of self preservation.

oo0oo

Josh Mcleod was a new addition to Megan's hand picked guards though not a battle castor himself he was handy in a fight and eager to prove himself. He had suggested to Megan that the two fugitives would hide in the dungeons. Megan had shot him down saying that their instincts would have been to get away and to stop bothering her and search the woods near the castle.

Josh had bristled at the dismissal but had followed orders, he had been ordered back to the castle to rest and decided to look through the dungeons he was sure the master sorcerer and Prime Merlinian where here somewhere, and he was determined to look through all the unoccupied cells.

He had even convinced his friend Gregory to accompany him, the two were cousins and had spent their childhood together and ten years apart during their trial hadn't diminished the friendship.

He would walk in, hold out his hand forcing a blast of wind through the cell then read the vibrations in the air with his palm. While Greg sulked as he leaned against the wall.

"You could help you know this would go faster."

"I'm only here because you're afraid of the injured fifteen hundred year old man."

"I'm not afraid, I'm just cautious or haven't you noticed one does not survive almost fifteen hundred years of war without some major skills."

"You used to be more sure of yourself couse."

"And then I was on my own for ten years."

Greg sighed, his mind drifting back to his own first days alone, the ten year sojourn was never fun for anyone.

"This one's too small," said Josh his expression something between a frown and wide eyed surprise.

"Excuse me?"

"I think it's a snap shot wal—" Josh was thrown back crashing into the door of the cell opposite.

Greg jumped and slammed the open cell door shut, he quickly opened the small window at the top held up his hand with his ring and poured smoke into the room the small cell quickly started to fill. Greg could hear a male coughing, sounded like the man was dying, knowing Alyne that was a possibility.

He threw open the door again and using his ears sent a concussion wave in Balthazar's direction. It was a direct hit. The master sorcerer hadn't even heard the cell door open again over his own coughing, the movement it caused sent waves of pain down his back his lungs were on fire his legs had given out soon after the cell began to fill with smoke, he was blind his eyes pressed shut against the smoke.

He hadn't stood a chance. When the concussion wave hit it sent him skidding across the floor and into the wall. The world went black.

* * *

><p>Dave despite the danger of walking around the castle Dave was grinning, he had located the kitchen where he had found food and a sack to carry it all in. He had a few pastries, some fruit and some strips of jerky. And he hadn't seen a guard recently either, he wondered briefly where they had all gone then shrugged it off.<p>

As he walked he stared preparing himself for the lecture and dressing down, metaphorically speaking that he was going to have to endure when he arrived back at the cell. Still any punishment the sorcerer came up with would be worth it. Balthazar needed food. After turning a corner saw the open cell door he sprinted towards it. He froze in the doorway staring at the scene.

* * *

><p>Still no beta guys sorry for all the mistakes.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

**Forgiveness**

**Summary: A tour bus disappears in an isolated part of England's country side where many people have vanished before. Balthazar goes to investigate, and since Dave is on spring break he gets to come along. Oh joy.**

**Disclaimer: All Publicly Recognizable Characters, Settings, Ideas, etc. are the Property of Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions. The Original Characters and Plot are the Property of the Author. The Author is in no way Associated with the Owners, Creators, or Producers of Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Productions. No Copyright Infringement is intended.**

**Chapter VII**

**May 22**

Dave froze, there was Balthazar his face bloody and his left eye swollen. There were streaks of red across his chest. He was on his knees held in place by two guards.

Alyne and Megan were there as well both looked up at him briefly but because he was still disguised they quickly turned their attention back to the defeated sorcerer.

"So Balthazar feel like telling me where your apprentice ran off to?"

"Las Vegas."

Alyne rolled her eyes. "Well no matter, your apprentice came running to rescue you before, he will do so again."

"Don't count on it."

Alyne's only response was to hold out her hand a silver dreamcatcher pendant dangled on a silver chain. Balthazar flinched. Dave's eyes widened at the master sorcerer's reaction.

"I see you had an accident with your last one."

"I'll do it."

Dave's heart stopped and his mind froze. Had Balthazar just agreed to do something for Alyne? He hadn't realised Balthazar had been brought so close to his breaking point. '_What the hell is that thing?'_

"Excuse me?"

"If you somehow get a hold of Dave, I'll convince him to join you, you don't need to use that thing again."

Alyne quickly recovered from her shock and smiled at the hapless sorcerer before her. "Oh this is rich. The great Balthazar Blake can withstand torture, burn him, cut him, break every bone in his body, no problem. But weave a few dreams where you kill his apprentice right in front of him and he breaks."

Balthazar glared at the woman but remained silent.

"Well no matter. You still need to be punished for your escape and this—" she dangled the dream catcher. "Seems to be an effective method."

Balthazar tried to edged away as she approached but the guards held him tight.

"Well maybe if you asked nicely. I'd be willing to settle for something more physical."

"…Pl…" Balthazar's voice trailed away and his eyes narrowed at the sight of his opponents widening smirk.

"Nicely? How about I nicely tell you where you can shove that thing of yours...? My apprentice will never join you. You'll have him over my dead body."

It took a great deal of will power for Dave not jump up and whoop.

Alyne's smile faded and her eyes narrowed coldly. "I thought I made it clear that you are going to die Balthazar, as soon as we're done with Dave you will die. The only question is, will I spend days torturing Dave right in front you before finally killing him then you, or will you die a quick death with the knowledge that you apprentice will live?"

She looped the chain over Balthazar's head. This time he did not shrink away.

Alyne knelt and lightly touched Balthazar chest where the pendant now hung smiling, suddenly her face hardened and she grab a handful of Balthazar's hair and gave a not so gentle tug down forcing him to look up at her.

"It will take days sorcerer, you and he will beg and plead for me to give you another chance to join my family. But once you've refused my final offer there will be no going back, here and now you can refuse to help without permanent conscience. But I personally wove that fist dream Balthazar, you did beg and you did plead over and over again as I tortured your apprentice to death, while he screamed and cried and thrashed to escape. I will skin him for amusement and use hot iron so stop the blood flow and burn out his eyes. Make them melt in their sockets and run down his face."

She cocked her head to the side, "Actually I believe that sight was one of the dreams I wove into the last dream catcher, did you see it?" she smiled when Balthazar's pupils dilated. "You did see it didn't you? Unless you want to see that in real life you will convince him to join. My healers are very skilled he will die over and over again, and both you and he will beg me to let him stay dead.

"So I suggest you decide what's more important your pride or his welfare." She let go of his hair and stood. "Now on the likely chance that he wouldn't leave this place without you, what's say we let him know you're in trouble? Call him," she ordered. "Call him or I make you scream, either way he'll come running." She held out her hand which was now glowing a familiar red.

Dave's eye's widened as he recognized Alyne's favourite torture spell. He hesitated, if he stayed hidden he could wait until they moved Balthazar he would escort the sorcerer to his new cell and be in a perfect position to free him. Then he remembered the pain, he couldn't do it, he couldn't stand by. Besides there were only the two guards holding Balthazar, Megan the captain, and Alyne. Step one; takeout the guards so he would have back up.

Before Alyne's hand moved more then two inches Dave blasted the guards holding his master with plasma bolts. His disguise fell and he was about to blast Alyne when something hit his side. He could feel his ribs crack he turned to see Megan dart from him to where Balthazar was currently pulling his fist back to deliver a second blow to Alyne's head. Alyne was currently against the wall of the cell rubbing her jaw where Balthazar had punched her as soon as he was free.

"Balthazar lookout!" shouted Dave.

Balthazar reacted instantly but still too late, he turned in time to receive a plasma bolt to the chest instead of the side, he hit the wall behind him and crumbled. Megan withdrew her dagger and thrust it forward, Balthazar was to disoriented to fight back, Megan's blade grazed his arm and she stood before turning to Dave.

"Alyne is not the only one to coat her blades with poison he will be dead by sunrise." She moved her blade to Balthazar's throat. "Or in five seconds, I really don't care."

"Dave, they'll kill me anyway just run."

Dave shook his head and raised his hands in surrender. This was his fault if he hadn't abandoned his master to go find food…

"Dave, run!" shouted Balthazar.

"Dumb move kid," hissed Alyne, she walked over to Dave and grabbed his hand. She unsheathed her own dagger and sliced open his palm. "The poison on that should incapacitate you till morning. Now while we wait for it to take effect, tell me how you escaped."

Dave glared, but said nothing. Alyne rolled her eyes and pointed to where Balthazar lay against the wall his breathing laboured.

"You didn't alarm the floor, I phased through," answered Dave clutching his stomach as the nausea started getting worse, he started to sink to the floor.

"I see, very clever. Megan, give the clever boy a sound lashing, you can do whatever you like just so long as the damaged isn't permanent."

"You said you need him healthy for your experiments!" hissed Balthazar. "I'm the expendable one."

"Which is why the damage will not be permanent, the experiments can wait till he's done healing. You see Balthazar, before my goal was solely to control Dave, now I want to punish you, this is obviously the best way to do it, you had a choice Balthazar your pride or your apprentice's welfare, this time it will only cost a few scars and a few days discomfort. Next time I tell you to be polite I suggest you do so," she stepped over Balthazar to the right hand corner of the cell and leaned against the wall so she was sure to have a good view of Dave and Balthazar's reactions.

"You want me to beg!?" shouted Balthazar turning to her "Fine! Please don—" he was forced to stop as the poison caused a wave of pain through his body.

"Sorry Balthy I didn't catch that."

"Don't hurt him... Please... I'm sorry."

Dave couldn't believe what he was hearing, Balthazar begging was just wrong.

"Too late now, but I will give him the choice." She turned to Dave, "David, your call, you can be punished or your master. The pain and damage will be no worse for him then you."

The apprentice was about to reply when Balthazar shouted.

"Dave! Protect yourself! That's an order!

Dave shook his head, and turned to Alyne. "I'll do it."

"Dave!" yelled Balthazar, his gaze shifted to Alyne. "If you hurt him, I swear, I will hunt you down and show you what real suffering is."

"Megan, I was going to ask you not to be to rough on the boy, but I want part off his scapula to be visible to the healers." She turned to Balthazar. "You just had to try and get the last word in didn't you?"

Balthazar turned to Dave, Megan was walking towards him, her knife unsheathed, the older sorcerer tried to get up.

Megan removed Dave's sweatshirt then used her knife to cut off his t-shirt. Dave offered no protest, he was too weak from the poison. He just lay on the floor, facing the wall, legs curled to his chest and arms around his gut as he fought the nausea. By now the guards Dave had blasted with plasma bolts were beginning to stir.

"Get me a hot iron rod, the boy's wounds may need to be cauterized." Barked Megan as the first guard started getting up. He nodded and dragged his companion to his feet before darting out of the cell.

Megan uncoiled the whip at her side, raised it and brought it down.

"Aahh!" Dave had never felt anything like it before, a beat down from bullies he could handle, but this was different, this was a piercing tearing pain that seared his back, he pulled his arms to his head not wanting to risk the whip striking his face.

Blow after blow fell, Dave, had no experience with this kind of pain and was having trouble keeping himself from crying out. He clenched his teeth and tried to think of something pleasant, like Becky and her beautiful smile…

"Ahh!" Dave felt as if his back had been split open. He arched his back out of instinct and his arms contacted to his sides the next blow struck his left arm. He brought the wayward limbs back to his head. Red sparks were starting to dance in front of his eyes. He closed them and tried to think of Becky, another lash came down, he heard Balthazar cry out, but he was in too much pain to make out the words. His mind drifted back to the campfire they had shared just the night before they had come to Aldercy. Another blow fell but Dave was thinking about the smores and how pleased the master sorcerer had looked with himself as he and Dave ate. Despite the nature of their mission, to find a group of people who could very well be dead, they had been happy.

Dave continued to lye on the floor, as the whip came down on him over and over again he could hear Balthazar yelling, but he was too weak to make out the sounds the poison combined with the pain made his world very small, nothing else existed but the pain and some far off whispers he knew to be Balthazar but even they faded.

Then the blows stopped. It took several moments for Dave to register the fact. The poison and previous blows were painful and interfered with his ability to process his environment. What he didn't understand was why the sound of the whip coming down and striking flesh hadn't stopped, it was then he noted the strong arm wrapped around him.

"Balthazar?"

"I'm here, you'll be okay."

"No… get off I can handle it, you've been through enough."

"I'm sorry Dave."

"My fault… I should have stayed."

"Get off him Balthazar," ordered Alyne.

"No!" shouted Balthazar as he felt himself lifted into the air, he was sent flying and landed with a thump against the wall before crumpling. He glared at Alyne. Why hadn't she stopped him when he had been crawling to his apprentice if she was determined to keep the two apart?

Earlier, when Megan had first started punishing Dave it hadn't taken Balthazar long to realise that his pleas fell on deaf ears but that didn't stop him. He begged and pleaded with both Alyne and Megan to stop, to torture him instead.

Balthazar had told Dave that no ring equalled no magic, that wasn't entirely true, even in the caster wasn't a foculess. It just meant the magic couldn't leave the body. But ring or no a sorcerer could combat sickness or poison with magic. Balthazar had survived a high fever in a harsh winter when he was young that was when he learned he was a sorcerer. He did it again now using his power to fight the poison. He crawled towards his apprentice Alyne didn't stop him and Megan though she noted it, decided to ignore him.

He had glanced over at Alyne but she merely smiled down at him, amused with his attempts. He finally reached his apprentice and shielded him with his body. Then before he'd had time for more then a few assurances, he had been torn away from his charge.

Megan had never in all that time stopped. But she stopped now. She looked at Balthazar her face expressionless. She took something out of a pouch on her belt and attached it to the end of her whip.

Balthazar saw that it was a piece of curved metal, shaped like a talon, and it appeared just as sharp.

"No! Please! You'll kill him."

Megan looked affronted by the charge as if Balthazar had just insulted her.

Balthazar knew that strikes from the whip with that talon would chunks of flesh off Dave, the resulting bleeding…

"No don't!"

Megan sent the tip flying towards Dave's back, it cut into the flesh where his scapula rested beneath a layer of skin and muscle.

Megan pulled back, causing a large gash in the boy's back. Dave screamed.

Balthazar waited for the next blow but it didn't come.

"Well?" asked Alyne.

"You said you wanted part of his scapula visible to the healers, that is now the case, the boy is unused to such treatment and unable to withstand a fraction of what his master can. Anymore of this and he'll be useless to you."

Alyne's eyes narrowed at her Captain of the guard. "… Very well. Take him to the healers, but before you do give Balthazar some antidote."

Megan nodded, she walked over to Balthazar and taking a small glass vile from her pouched gently held his chin to open his mouth and pored a few drops in. She turned to Dave and gently, attempting to avoid touching and aggravating the wounds on his back though she couldn't help but touch a few causing Dave to hiss in pain, she carried him out the door.

Once they were gone Alyne turned to Balthazar. She waved her hand and a pair of shackles that had been resting against the wall, flew towards his wrists, he didn't try to fight them.

Alyne noticed. "Is the great Balthazar Blake finally cowed? You really should get some sleep you know." She leaned over him she held out her hand and began casting a sleeping spell. "Pleasant dreams, Balthazar."

oo0oo

Dave, tried the breathing techniques Balthazar had drilled into him months ago to help the apprentice deal with pain.

Megan looked down at her charge. "Your breathing is too quick, try to slow it down more."

Dave really wished he had the strength to glare. But he didn't even trust himself to open his eyes he could feel tears behind his eyelids. Balthazar wouldn't cry. He almost laughed, like he would ever measure up to Balthazar in the how to deal with pain department. All the same, he was twenty and well, a guy.

Megan carried him to the healers, and with surprising gentleness laid him down on his side before rolling him onto his stomach on one of the beds.

"The healer will be here shortly, her name is Evelyn by the way."

"Fascinating" murmured Dave. "Balthazar…"

"Will be fine, eventually. Alyne will likely not harm him further, physically at anyrate."

"What was with that dream catcher?" questioned Dave desperate for something to distract him from the pain. "She mentioned weaving dreams."

"The mind is Alyne's forte, She majored in psychology, with a minor in general science. She wasn't getting anywhere with physical torture, so she wove dreams where you were tortured to death. The technique has proven effective, your master will soon break."

Dave wanted to argue, but frankly after hearing Balthazar offer to help convince Dave to join the group, he found himself agreeing with the battle castor.

"I'll go find Evelyn," announced Megan after a few moments of silence past, Dave heard the door lock behind her. He debated making an escape attempt but when he tried to prop himself up on his elbows the spasm of pain torpedoed any such notions. He frowned, Balthazar wouldn't let these scratches stop him. He buried his face in the mattress he really needed to stop comparing himself to the fifteen hundred year old sorcerer who had survived countless wars.

Instead his mind mulled over what he had learned, Alyne had mentioned some of the physical torture she had inflicted on Balthazar but it was the dreamcatcher that had come close to breaking the master sorcerer. The one that showed the apprentice dying, repeatedly.

Dave shoved the thought aside. He needed to focus on an escape plan. He turned his head when he heard the door open.

Megan entered with a dark haired women, the women who Dave assumed was Evelyn brow was furrowed in concern for her new patient. Dave took that as a sign the women wasn't sadistic. He hoped that meant he'd soon be feeling well enough for another escape attempt.

oo0oo

**May 23**

Balthazar's eyes flew open and he scrambled to his feet where was Alyne? The guards? Dave's body? Where was it? It had been in the sorcerer's arms seconds ago. He looked down at his hands no blood. That didn't make sense they had skinned Dave alive, they had broken his bones cut off his fingers one at a time cauterizing the wounds as they went. There had been so much blood where was it? Where was Dave's body?

Balthazar sat down, tried to focus what happened? They had been torturing Dave he had died and they revived him over and over again. Balthazar had broken free of the guards, had swiped one of their daggers. He had run to his apprentice and thrust the knife just underneath the jaw. The blow should have severed the spinal cord and cause instant death, but when he looked at Dave face the boy had still been alive, horror had crept over Balthazar as he realised he had somehow messed up. Then the light faded and the apprentice was gone.

He leaned forward and brought his hands to his face as grief overwhelmed him it was then he noticed the dream catcher around his neck, he took a deep steadying breath as he realised it had just been a nightmare a very long one, worse then anything he'd ever experienced.

He looked down at the dreamcather, and scrambled to removed it, he threw it across the cell. His shoulder slumped he knew getting rid of that thing wasn't going to help him at this point all the residue magic and new images which had been firmly planted into his mind would guarantee nightmares for months.

He didn't know what to do, he could kill himself then they couldn't use him against Dave, maybe the boy could escape if he didn't have to worry about Balthazar, he'd managed it once. But then he remembered Alyne's threat. If Balthazar couldn't be used as leverage they'd use Isabel. Balthazar cursed himself for winking at the girl back in the square, letting Alyne see that the girl was known and liked by him. That left one other option, he could kill Dave, it would be a simple matter to find a means, and he'd have no trouble getting close enough to use it. It would be better then having him tortured, a quick painless death. Balthazar knew how to kill without magic, Dave wouldn't even realise what was happening or that his master had killed him. So it came down to would he rather see Dave dead or a member of the Orrick family?

Dave was meant to be a force for good, not evil, he was good. He was a great kid, considerate, always trying to help. Maybe he should just leave it to Dave, let him decide, then he remembered Alyne's other threat. Veronica would come, if she was taken, their child would be.

He sighed, it didn't matter what Dave personally wanted. He would join the Orricks to watch over the child. Balthazar wouldn't even have to ask.

Balthazar caught himself what was _he thinking_? He was acting like it was over, he and Dave were going to get out of this, he didn't know how but he knew they would. And he was personally going to wipe that smirk off Alyne's face.

Balthazar continued to sit in his cell, trying to think of a way to end the Orrick family reign to pass the time. It was hours later that the door opened and Alyne walked in, carrying a tray.

"I brought breakfast."

"Not hungry."

"Now Balthazar, refusing to eat food offered by one's host is very rude." She held out the tray.

Balthazar glared but took the offering, he was surprised that is was actually a good breakfast. Sausage, egg, bacon and orange juice. He looked up at Alyne in surprise.

"Well you haven't eaten in days, and I plan to put you to work today."

"Work?" asked Balthazar before shoving a piece of bacon in his mouth.

"Yes, you should be feeling much better I had a healer tend to you while you slept and even had her to an energy transference so you should be feeling pretty good right now. And really it's about time you made yourself useful, you were a serf way back when right? Before Merlin?"

Balthazar didn't answer.

"Anyway it was Megan's idea, she thought it best you get outside. They're rebuilding a section of the outer wall the old one was torn down, it was in bad shape. Megan will be here soon to escort you. Have you reached a decision?"

"…Dave will join you."

"Glad to hear it. Well I'll be going then."

After Alyne left Balthazar finished his breakfast and leaned back against the wall of his cell, wondering where Megan was. He was glad she had suggested putting him to work. It would enable him to properly asses the environment, and he was really looking forward to some fresh air.

"Morning Blake," greeted Megan as she opened the door of the cell.

"Morning," he replied coolly.

She smiled as she knelt in front of him and Balthazar saw she had a collar in her hand, with the markings of the Hungarian binding spell, he sighed but made no move to stop her as she placed it around his throat. The pressure would serve as a constant reminder that he was now a slave.

Megan waved her hand and the shackles came loose.

Balthazar rubbed his wrist before standing up.

"Follow me," she instructed, turning to leave, not bothering to check if Balthazar followed.

"Not worried about me trying anything?"

"No, we have your apprentice and you're focusless. Your best shot at this point is to do everything we ask you in an attempt to learn the lay of the land and the exact location of your apprentice, and even then you are outnumbered and outgunned. And any attempt will be punished, by Alyne."

"So you don't think I'll try anything?"

"No, I'm certain you will."

"Then how did you convince Alyne to let me out?"

"I told her I was certain you would try something," chuckled Megan as if it was obvious. "She went through some trouble to get the needed excuse to torture you, remember? She made a deal with Dave and won't go back on her word. If she's going to make sure you're never fit enough to escape she's going to have to give you opportunities to cause trouble."

Megan looked up at the ceiling as they walked, lost in thought. "That, and she really likes torturing you, I haven't seen her smile this much since she defeated the last head of the family."

"I'm flattered."

"You're an idiot, she'd let up a bit if you'd just beg for mercy."

"Not chance in hell."

"Doing so would mean you'd be healthier you'd have a better shot at escape. Need I remind you that if you don't escape you'll lose your apprentice, your child will be taken and you and your wife will die. Is you're pride worth so much?"

"It wouldn't make any difference, whether I beg or not Alyne will always find an excuse to torture me, and she won't stop just because I beg, she enjoys it to much, having a centuries old and very powerful sorcerer at her mercy is too much of a power-trip for her to 'let up'. I've seen her type before."

Megan said nothing, as she continued to lead Balthazar up a set of stairs, Balthazar tried to memorize the way out of the castle though he doubted he'd us it in an escape attempt. He took a deep purifying breath once they got into the open air. It felt _good _to be out of the dungeons.

"This way Blake," ordered Megan coldly.

Balthazar sighed and followed the younger woman, she led him to the outer wall, well the bit that was been rebuilt.

"Nathaniel!" shouted Megan to a middle man who was ordering an older one to pick up the pace. "Got another worker for you!"

Nathaniel looked Balthazar over noting the various wounds on the shirtless man's chest, he'd wager everything he owned that the man's back was worse.

Balthazar eyed the man in return the ring on his hand and lack of a collar marked him as another sorcerer. A slave driver complete with whip that hung on his belt, though it was a normal leather one nothing like Megan's weapon. He had slightly greying reddish hair, a beard and a beer gut.

"Can he work?" asked Nathaniel drawing Balthazar out of his observations.

"Believe it or not, yes."

Nathaniel shook his head. "Alright," he turned to Balthazar, "name?"

"Balthazar Blake."

"Bit of a mouthful..." his brow furrowed and he squinted at Balthazar "wait the fifteen hundred year old sorcerer? I heard Megan Captured you."

"I had help, and yes it is him," said Megan tiredly. "Now put him to work."

"Ooookayyy, Blake, see that well at the bottom of the hill?"

Balthazar looked to where the man was pointing. "Yes."

"See those buckets?"

The master sorcerer looked at the two wooden buckets that rested several feet away on the ends of a brace used to distribute their weight across the shoulders.

"Yes."

"See those guys over there mixing the mortar?"

To his Left Balthazar could see a man, a teenage boy and a twelve year old girl mixing a grayish substance in a small wooden tub with long sticks.

"Yes."

"Do you need further instruction?"

"No."

"On your way then."

Balthazar grabbed the buckets, settling the brace on his shoulders he made his way down the hill.

Manual labour felt oddly good. Course after days of rotting in a cell anything physical in the fresh air would be good.

He saw a couple of little kids, a boy an girl of about five years of age, running around too young to work, but since their parents were busy, the children were stuck playing in the immediate area. Alyne apparently wasn't big on daycare. Balthazar guessed that the two women glancing from their work setting stones in the wall at the top of the hill to the children were their mothers.

This was the life he once expected to lead, little more then a slave, hard manual labour his entire life followed by death by age forty at the latest.

To think he was back. He felt oddly nostalgic. The he remembered that he had been _sold _to his master and the feeling passed.

It was on Balthazar's fifth trip that he saw one of the kids, the five year old girl trip, and cry out. Her friend tried to help her up but she screamed again when she put weight on her ankle. Balthazar saw one of the women try to rush to her child but Nathaniel shouted at her to get back to work.

Balthazar frowned, and started walking towards the child she was only about ten feet away.

"Come on Susan, I'll carry you up." Said the five year old boy as he knelt in front of her so she could climb on his back.

"You're not strong enough Dave, you dropped me when you gave me a piggy back ride," wailed the girl.

Balthazar tensed when he heard the boy's name but shrugged it off.

"You two need help getting to the top?" asked Balthazar.

"You'll get in trouble if you bring us instead of the water," said the boy eyeing Balthazar suspiciously.

"Then I'll have to bring both, I'll need each of you to grab hold." He told them shrugging to show that he was referring to the brace. He knelt by the girl.

"You'll drop us."

Balthazar turned to Susan looking her directly in the eyes, she almost backed away from the intensity in them. "The only way you'll fall is if you let go, and even then you won't be hurt, because I won't let you."

She nodded and grabbed hold of the brace. Little Dave did the same on the other side.

Balthazar rose to his feet and started up the hill, the water combined with the two five years olds and his back which had yet to fully heal, made it an arduous task.

Susan and Little Dave managed to hold on tight and seemed to really enjoy the trip, Balthazar had been worried that the strain on their arms would prove too much but he solved the problem easily.

"I wonder which of you can hold on the longest."

It wasn't until Balthazar knelt and brought their feet back down to the ground that they reluctantly let go.

Healthy competition, how he loved it.

"Dave, put Susan's left arm over your shoulder."

The young boy did as ordered.

"Good, now help her over to the section of the wall over there. The part that's done, no more running around, you make sure Susan's okay."

Little Dave nodded and helped Susan to her feet. "Susan keep off that foot." Ordered Balthazar as the kids made their way to the wall.

He picked up the buckets and went back to work. After a couple more trips Nathaniel had him start placing stones on the wall, the work was rough and dirty, but again, better then the cell.

"Excuse me," said a quiet voice to his right suddenly.

Balthazar turned to see a young woman in her early twenties with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"I'm Susan's mother, Alice. I wanted to thank you."

"It was nothing," replied Balthazar forcing a smile and a bit of cheer into his voice. He turned back to his work.

Alice sensing the dismissal said nothing and went back to her own set of stones that needed placing.

"Alright time to break for lunch people," announced Nathaniel. "You can take your kid home Alice."

The woman he had been speaking to nodded, she darted over to her child and picked her up in her arms before walking away at a brisk pace.

Lunch, for Balthazar at least, was a simple serving of bread cheese and water given to him by Nathaniel, most of the others had brought something to eat with them, and found nice spots to sit and eat. Balthazar sat at a distance, he remembered Alyne's casual threat against Isabel. It was possible that any friends he made would be used as leverage.

He dropped his food when he someone scream his name, he recognized it's owner.

"Dave!" Balthazar jumped to his feet, he started running towards the castle only to have a whip wrap around his leg and trip him. Balthazar rolled, grabbing the offending strip of leather he pulled back.

The whip came out of Nathaniel's hands. Balthazar tossed it aside, he did not have time to deal with it's owner. He bolted towards the castle, the guards at the entrance way had no reason to stop him. People came in and out the entryway doors often, not often at a run, but it wasn't unheard of they had no reason to believe Balthazar wasn't on business. He was just a serf.

Still, they had to ask. "Hold!" shouted one of the guards.

"Urgent message for Alyne Orrick can't wait!" yelled Balthazar as he sidestepped the guards. Hoping they wouldn't follow but not really caring.

Where had the scream come form? High, it had been high up he needed to find stairs. He spotted a servant girl.

"Excuse me!" he shouted with a wave and what he hoped was a friendly smile. He didn't want to frighten her. "I have an urgent message for Alyne Orrick, where is she?"

"I don't know, I think the west tower, at least that's what I heard."

"Quickest way there?" asked Balthazar trying to keep panic from his voice, Nathaniel hadn't been far behind.

"Down that hallway third door to the right, take the stairs."

Balthazar bolted, no way Dave could have screamed loud enough to be heard from the wall, unless magic had been used to amplify his voice.

He ran up the winding stairs.

"Dave!" he shouted, when he saw his apprentice in the stairwell, he was been held up by two guards, he was also right behind Alyne and Megan.

"Guess you heard the scream," said Megan. "You got here quick."

Balthazar darted past them, Alyne looked like she was about to block his path but Megan pulled her out of the way.

Balthazar didn't know if he should be grateful or insulted that they didn't consider him a large enough threat to fight.

"Dave!"

The young man's skin was deathly pale, his breathing shallow and he didn't respond to his master's voice.

"Balthazar!" shouted a male voice from behind.

Balthazar tensed and turned from his charge to the slave driver. Who was currently readying a plasma bolt.

"Knock it off Nathaniel," ordered Megan "we have the situation under control. I'll be discussing security measures with you later. Now, get back to work."

The middle age man glared but turned and walked down the stairs.

Alyne turned towards Balthazar, her hand glowing red but Megan stepped between them.

"You know we were going to get you once we got Davey here settled. But seeing as you're here follow us." she gestured down the stairs.

Balthazar turned to the guards supporting Dave. "Let him go. I'll carry him."

The guards refused to move. Balthazar clenched his fist and was about to throw a punch at the man's jaw when Megan interrupted.

"Henry, let Balthazar take your place."

The guard on Dave's left glared at Balthazar but moved so Balthazar could help carry the young man to wherever they were taking him.

They went down the stairs, through a few halls then up more stairs, finally they reached a room located in a tower, it was a simple room, a dresser, desk, a four poster bed, and a small window facing the east.

"I can take it from here," hissed Balthazar to the other guard carrying Dave. The guard glanced at Megan who nodded.

Balthazar made his way to the bed, he laid Dave down and took off the young man's shoes before placing him under the covers.

He gently put his hand on his charge's forehead, his eyes losing their hard edge as he felt the clammy skin and elevated temperature.

"He has a fever." Announced Balthazar standing and turning to the two women, "What did you do to him?" Balthazar voice was deadpan, toneless, his face granite, the only sign of emotion was in his eyes which burned with a cold blue flame as he stared at his opponents.

"The spell that keeps us hidden needed charging," said Alyne. "Normally I gather up the strongest members of the family to direct energy from the ley lines, but since Dave was here..."

"He hasn't even had a chance to recover from the lashing you gave him last night! How dare you! He could have been killed! You know how dangerous it is to channel power from the ley lines! It takes dozens of sorcerers to do it safely and you demand it of a untrained twenty year old kid! Why didn— "

Balthazar's tirade ended when Alyne used magic throw him against the wall, his hands sunk into the stone holding him in place.

"Well I guess I'll be going," said Megan. "Henry, Geoffrey," she said to the two guards.

Once the door closed Alyne smiled at Balthazar, the smile of a psycho who had been given a kitten and told she could kill it anyway she wanted.

"I'd say try not scream cause it might wake David up, but he's out of it and I really don't care, not like he'd be able to do anything."

She stared walking towards Balthazar her hand glowing red.

* * *

><p>Well that's depressing, everyone give AwesomeGizmo a high five for getting me off my butt and posting this chap<p> 


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